Nigeria, Sierra Leone Police Chiefs sign cooperation agreement on training

From Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

The Inspector-General of Police IGP Usman Alkali Baba and his Sierra Leone counterpart Dr. Ambrose Michael Sovula on Tuesday signed a cooperation agreement on training of senior Police officers of both countries in Nigeria.

The event which took place at the IGP”s Conference Hall Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters Abuja was undertaken during a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Police helmsman by his visitor in his office.

The visiting Police boss from the African nation had during the visit recalled the relationship between the two countries since inception after the abolition of slave trade globally.

He noted that Nigeria had played a prominent role in the liberation of most African countries from colonial rule by Europeans and stated that he is grateful of the the role played by Nigeria in that era.

He acknowledged that most of the liberated people of  Africa, nay Nigeria  still resides in Fourah Bay and Fullah in Sierra Leone and also lauded role played by ECOMOG in Liberia and other nations political crisis.

He said: “most recently, in the1990s when Sierra Leone was fighting one of the brutal civil wars in human history,  Nigeria led ECOMOG intervened and brought sanity to the country. In the process, so many lost their lives.

“I know that five Sierra Leone Police officers came to Nigeria for cadet course at Jos in Nigeria. Those officers later became an asset to our organization.”

The Police boss also expressed gratitude to his host on the training of ten senior Police officers from Sierra Leone by the Nigeria Police Force at the National  Institute of Police Studies Abuja from June 27, 2021 to August 19 2021.

He explained that the main objective of the  cooperation agreement is to strengthen cooperation in the area of capacity building and exchange programmes between the two organizations for the Police officers.

He also appreciated the support and cooperation of the IGP of Nigeria and his team on the training adding that the investment on the training is a worthy one.

In his remarks, the host IGP, said that the visit is a clear statement on the commitment of the Nigerian and Sierra Leone authorities to boost bilateral cooperation.

He further said the visit will strengthen transnational Police network as strategic approach that is directed at addressing national and region challenges.

The IGP noted that the cooperation agreement is a collaborative milestone in the effort of leaders in both countries to enhance the professional capacity of Police officers noting that crime is dynamic and resonates beyound where it is committed.

Among many other senior government officials, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Sierra Leone Mr David Panda Noah also lauded the initiative noting that it would help in tackling crimes in the two African countries.