The United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) has collaborated with Cleen foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), to train police officers on election security management ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DFID leads the UK’s work by tackling global challenges including poverty and disease, mass migration, insecurity and conflict in developing countries and in the UK itself.
Dr Benson Olugbuo, Executive Director of the foundation, in a statement on Friday, said that the foundation had worked closely with the police for many years through the support of partners such as the DFID and others.
According to Olugbuo, the foundation has so far trained not less than 150 senior police officers on election security management in Gombe, Lagos and Federal Capital Territory ahead of the general elections through the support of the DFID.
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“Cleen foundation is an NGO that is focused on promoting public safety, security and justice through the support of partners and associates.
“We make bold to say that since our establishment in 1998 till date, we have worked very closely with the Nigeria Police Force, building a formidable partnership that has stood the test of time.
“We are privileged to get the approval of the police authority to train its officers on election security management for the 2019 general elections,’’ he said.
He said that the forthcoming general elections presented an opportunity for Nigerians and the international community to measure and rate the performance of the Nigerian Police Force.
The executive director said that professionalism in handling the elections was expected from the police as they took the lead in election security.
He reiterated the commitment of the foundation to work and support the New Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu and his team to improve police service delivery and accountability.
NAN reports that the training programmes were attended by mostly senior police officers such as Commissioners of Police and Deputy Commissioners of Police.
The training was conducted in Lagos State with officers from Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti State Police commands and also in Gombe with officers from Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe and the FCT commands.
Cleen foundation is an NGO in Nigeria promoting public safety, security and justice through empirical research, legislative advocacy, demonstration programmes and publications in partnership with government, civil society and private sector. (NAN)