Lagos, June 22, 2015 – The Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, says it is partnering with stakeholders in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance police officers use of technology in combating crime in the zone.
The Assistant-Inspector General of Police (AIG), Mr Bala Hassan made the assertion at the flag-off of “On the Need to be ICT Compliant’’ at the Zonal Headquarters.
The AIG, represented by a Deputy Commissioner of Police in the zone, Isaac Akinboyede, added that the use of ICT would improve the ways the officers were tackling criminal investigations.
“I am aware that they have organised similar training in this zone for officers, now we are here because our partners want to give us a proper insight into the ICT world.
“We know that the world is growing in ICT and everything is growing with it, what we use to do 10 to 15 years ago is different from what we have now in terms of ICT.
“The Nigeria Police cannot afford to be left behind in the society,’’ he said.
Contributing, the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adebowale Lawal, said that the development would enhance the operational activities of the officers and men.
“They will be abreast with what is happening in the rest of the world.
“Our partners are sometimes here to train our men in the use of ICT, especially in investigation.
“That is why we want to partner with these stakeholders and presently we have our ICT College in Kobape along Sagamu road in Ogun,’’ Lawal said.
“This is where we train our men because we do not want to leave them behind in ICT.
“So, that is why we are encouraging them to embrace technology and also get it at a cheap rate.
“And this will not stop here, it will be taken to other police commands and zones across the country,’’ he said.
Mrs Folake Oyekanmi, Business Development Manager for Intel, said that the partnership and offer for the zonal command was the first off its kind in the country.
She added that the company was ready to spread the offer to other commands to ensure that all the officers would be able to access ICT.
“We started discussing with the NPF some months back and we found out that they have started training their officers in ICT.
“What we are trying to do is to leverage on that. What we are basically saying is that we want every police officer to benefit from this ICT.
“For every officer that is serving and retired or you want to start a business, you will need ICT with the right values,’’ she said.
She added that the company was ready to provide laptops of different brands and with internet facilities.
Also, Mrs Fatimah Olajumoke, Head of Marketing Operations, Nigerian Police Force Micro Finance Bank, said that the company had set aside a huge sum to assist the officers to acquire laptops.
“We are in business not to make profit alone but also to assist the police in developing their men.
“The first set of officers that will benefit from this offer is our customers, and we will work out modalities for those that are not our customers.
“The loan for the offer can be paid back in a year and in instalments and only 20 per cent interest will be charged,’’ she said.
