by Emmanuel Okubenji

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, on Tuesday promised that the Nigeria Police Force would work tirelessly in 2013 to tackle violent crimes.

In his New Year message to Nigerians, Abubakar charged officers and men to re-dedicate themselves to the service of their fatherland. He asked them to exhibit the highest level of patriotism and selflessness while carrying out their duties.

Also in the speech, the IG thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for his passion for the nation and resolve to tackle the country’s security challenges. He commended the 36 states governors, FCT Minister, and Local Government Chairmen across the country for supporting the police with logistics and other crime-fighting equipment in 2012.

Abubakar also thanked Nigerians for their vigilance and support without which policing during the period would have been near impossible and urged them not to relent. He said the police management team was committed to the vision of reforming and professionalizing the force and bequeathing a truly peoples-friendly police to the nation.

Abubakar said such police would be effective, efficient, and intelligence-driven to respect the fundamental rights of the citizens and adequately positioned to tackle the dynamic challenges of crime prevention.