A contingent of 144 police officers from Nigeria has arrived in Somalia to boost stabilisation efforts in the country, the African Union mission said on Sunday, April 18.
According to a report by China Global Television Network Africa, the AU mission said the arrival of the new contingent is a major boost to law and order efforts, as they will be working in concert with their Somali counterparts in ensuring improved security in liberated areas.
The Somalian Police Operations coordinator, Daniel Ali Gwambal, in a statement on Sunday was quoted as saying, “They are here in order to fulfill the mandate of AMISOM with regards to operational support to the Somalis and at the same time to mentor the Somali Police Force.
“There are certain specific duties that are also incumbent on them to perform while they are here such as regular patrols at checkpoints, guard static duties and other duties that involve general policing.”
Gwambal noted that the Nigerian personnel would work with their officers on providing Very-Important Personality escort and protection services, training and assisting the Somalia Police Force in public order management, conducting joint patrols with their Somali counterparts and securing key government installations and high-level events.
The deployment is coming amidst swelling insecurity such as kidnapping and banditry in Nigeria also, which has continued to ravage every region of the country.
The Nigerian government has usually said the country is under-policed, while contemplating the models of experts who have advocated the establishments of state police and community police outfits to complement the overstretched federal police force.