Mr Hafiz Ringim
Inspector General of the Nigerian Police |
Nigeria pledges continued participation in UN peacekeeping missions
The Inspector General of the Nigerian Police, Mr Hafiz Ringim, says the Nigeria Police will continue to participate in UN peace keeping operations, in spite of internal security challenges.
Ringim, who spoke to reporters on Friday in Abuja, shortly after inaugurating some equipment for the deployment of 120 personnel to the UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), said the Nigeria Police was most sought after in UN peace keeping missions.
“I can assure you that even though the country has challenges, the world as you have seen all over is facing challenges.
“The Nigeria Police Force cannot afford not to be involved for now, most especially because the Nigeria police contingent is the most sought after.
“There are of recent two or three countries that came to Nigeria to look at our police training facilities and how we have formed our unit and to take a cue from what we have done,’’ he said.
Recognition and appreciation
Ringim pointed out that the police had been participating in UN missions since 1960 and called for good recognition and appreciation from the international community for its participation in peacekeeping operations.
The IG charged the policemen to exhibit the best of conduct and represent the country well in Darfur, adding that those found wanting would be repatriated back to the country.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of Peacekeeping, Mr Mohammed Zanar, said Nigeria’s peacekeeping roles in ensuring stability in the West African sub-region and beyond had earned her accolades.
He said:“The history of UN peacekeeping operations will be very incomplete without mentioning Nigeria as it is ranked 6th in the contribution of peacekeepers to the UN missions.’’
Zanar assured the UN and the ECOWAS commission that the officers being deployed would make optimal use of the equipment for the mission.
The equipment inaugurated for UNAMID-3 operations are five Amoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), 33 vehicles, including patrol vehicles, troop carriers and sewage vehicles.
Others are two folk lifts, 16 containers with assorted camp and personnel sustenance equipment, level two clinical drugs for six months and seven refrigerated containers and a water treatment plant.
NAN/Williams
|
