By Angeline Mgbele, Bureau Chief, North
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has expressed its commitment to refurbish and revamp redundant operational assets of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) such as vehicles, helicopters, confiscated and forfeited vehicles.
This is part of moves to support the Police Force in boosting its operational capacity to improve the security situation in the country in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Agenda on Security.
The foregoing is contained in a press advisory esigned by the Director Information and Protocol at NASENI, Olusegun Ayeoyenikan .
As per the press advisory, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu made the pledge during a meeting with the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun when he paid him a visit at the Force Headquarters on Friday February 2, 2024.
The NASENI boss said the Agency would mobilise and deploy financial and technical resources needed to retool, upgrade and modernize the NPF Vehicle Maintenance Workshops nationwide as well as recover, repair and reactivate all police vehicles that are not functional.
In so doing, Halilu mentioned some of the benefits to be achieved to include: Improved security; Compliance to climate change action as NPF vehicles are converted from petrol and diesel to electric and compressed natural gas (CNG).
Other benefits to be derived are that the project would support local content efforts by prioritising the use of locally manufactured materials; Opportunities for skill acquisition and job creation and; Commercial returns to sustain ongoing maintenance of Police assets.
In his remarks the Inspector General of Police, said the collaboration between NASENI and the NPF would go a long way in impacting positively on the operations of the Police Force , its security architecture and overall service delivery.
Mr. Egbetokun further assured of the cooperation of the Nigeria Police Force towards providing the necessary support to NASENI to deliver on its mandate.