By Elizabeth ADENUGA
Minister of Interior, Lt.- Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd), said the ministry was partnering U.S Government to develop comprehensive approach to improving security administration in Nigeria.
Dambazau made the disclosure at a ministerial news conference on Thursday in Abuja, covering his tenure in the ministry.
He said that the Security Governance Initiative (SGI), which was at the instance of the ministry, was part of several reforms aimed at repositioning law and order in the country.
The minister said that the initiative was a project of the US Government to support six African countries, including Nigeria.
He said that the achievement of the ministry on reforming security agencies in the country was only possible by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Danbazau cited welfare of Prisons’ staff and prisoners, including treatment and rehabilitation, reformation of prisons and protection of rights and privileges of prisoners as part of the ministry’s achievement under his stewardship.
He said that other reforms in prison administration during the period were provision of drugs and clinics, ambulances for treatment of inmates and provision of vehicles to facilitate movement of inmates to court.
He also disclosed that Federal Fire Service (FFS) was provided with modern fighting equipment, training and retraining of personnel and creation of zonal commands during the period.
The minister added that Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), during the period, introduced data-capturing of its personnel for proper monitoring.
According to him, there was personnel verification of all the services under the ministry to ascertain the strength, establishment and effectiveness of each of the services.
He assured that more would be done on restructuring, integration and operation for a new ministry of interior which had been of concern in the country.
Dambazau said that coordination and collaboration by agencies under the ministry were needed to carry out their mandates in the country.
He said that the ministry would ensure that insurgency and terrorism were curbed to the barest minimum.
“Winning war is not enough. Winning peace is also needed. This can be done through regional responsibility,” he said.
