Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, says state police will deepen community policing and improve intelligence gathering.

Disu told the News Agency of Nigeria in New York on Friday that the initiative would boost community-based policing and improve intelligence gathering.

He, however, said implementation would involve extensive consultations, comparative studies and capacity building before full operationalisation.

“We are still at the teething stage. We need experience, education and comparative studies from jurisdictions already practising state police,” he said.

He expressed confidence that state police would strengthen collaboration between federal and state security institutions.

“It will bring policing closer to the people because officers will better understand the communities they serve. It will take us back to the era when almost everybody knew those policing their communities,” he added.

The police chief said closer community engagement would improve intelligence gathering, public trust and rapid response to security threats.

He reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to innovation, professionalism and strategic partnerships to sustain peace, stability and national development.

The State Police Bill seeks to move policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List of the Constitution.

This would empower state governments to establish, fund and operate their own police forces alongside the Nigeria Police Force, which is centrally controlled by the Federal Government.

Disu, who participated in the UN Chiefs of Police Summit at the UN headquarters, said Nigeria’s sacrifices strengthen global peace.

According to him, Nigeria’s UN peacekeeping record remains a source of global pride, adding that the country has never failed in its UN peacekeeping missions.

The IGP said Nigeria remained one of the United Nations’ most dependable contributors to peacekeeping.

He praised Nigerian security personnel serving worldwide, saying Nigeria has contributed troops, police officers and made enormous sacrifices.

The police chief reaffirmed Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to United Nations peacekeeping operations across the world.

He recalled that Nigeria began participating in UN peacekeeping operations in Congo in 1960 and has remained a dependable contributor ever since.

“There is virtually no UN mission where you will not find Nigerian personnel serving with distinction,” he said.

Disu said Nigeria had also made enormous sacrifices in global peacekeeping through the loss of many police personnel.

“The United Nations will never joke with Nigeria’s contributions because of our commitment and sacrifices,” he said.

(NAN)

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A long-awaited new bridge between Canada and the United States, threatened by President Donald Trump earlier this year, will open for public use in late July, officials said Friday.

“Today, Canada and Michigan have agreed to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge on July 27, with the support of the United States Government,” Canada’s Ministry of Infrastructure said in a statement, adding the bridge ” will be a vital economic link between Canada and the US — generating billions of dollars in economic activity for decades to come.”

The CAN$6.4 billion ($4.5 billion) bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, has been under construction since 2018.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said last month the bridge’s inauguration had been delayed indefinitely at the request of the United States due to “technical issues.”

In February, Trump threatened to fully block the bridge, insisting that the United States had been treated unfairly in its construction and that it should be “at least half” US-owned.

Trump on Saturday congratulated and thanked the Canadian government.

“I was able to cut a MUCH BETTER DEAL for America, and by so doing, will be allowing the new and spectacular Gordie Howe International Bridge, spanning Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, to open on July 27th, as scheduled,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“The original deal made was unacceptable to me! The new deal is great, and fair.”

According to a fact sheet issued by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, the bridge was financed entirely by Canada and will be jointly owned by Canada and the US state of Michigan.

It is named after late Canadian-born National Hockey League great and Detroit Red Wings star Gordie Howe, in what was meant to be a symbol of unity between Canada and the United States.

AFP