(PRESS STATEMENT)
The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and other notable Nigerians will be honoured at National Daily Awards on March 23, 2023.
The Police chief who emerged the Man of the Year for the National Daily Awards has other eminent individuals who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields of endeavour as co-recipients such as Chief Nduka Obaigbena of ARISE Group/THSIDAY Newspaper, Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Leo Stan Eke of Zinox Group, Prof. Umar Garuba Danbatta, EVC and CEO of NCC among others.
IGP Usman Baba was nominated MAN OF THE YEAR by the Board of Editors organisation for the 2022 NATIONAL DAILY AWARD after a thorough evaluation of the performances of other leading figures in both the public and private sector in Nigeria.
His emergence as Man of Year is hinged on his assiduous efforts towards the actualisation of his mission of “Rebuilding the Nigeria Police Force into a 21st Century crime fighting institution,” moreso, he has worked hard to ensure the institution of a people-friendly police system, that will leave a legacy of policing with human face.
Taking charge at a time the yearnings of Nigerians for a reformed Police was at its crescendo, the IGP set to work by listening to the people and responding accordingly. He has openly acknowledged that while it is work in progress, the basic and most important foundation has been laid.
As part of his transformation process, he set out to strengthen the operational capacity of the personnel and also initiated a reward and punishment policy in the Force to encourage dedication to duty. This was followed with short-term training for officers to enhance their capacity and give them reorientation for policing activities in a democracy.
The training includes Election Security Management ahead of the current 2023 elections, which were held across the Six Geo-Political Zones of the country.
For effective combatant law enforcement operations, IGP Usman Baba developed geo-mapping of crime in the country, putting in place various measures to arrest the trend of crime and criminality.
He also created the Operation Puff Adder II to reinforce the fight against banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes in the North-West and North-Central; Operation Restore Peace in the South-South and South-East, to ensure public safety, public order and constitutional authority in the area. Intelligence-guided operations involving intelligence sharing amongst key security agencies; community engagements and public engagements to weaken recruitment drives of criminals were also set up under your watch.
To accomplish this, the IGP initiated a Police Campaign against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV); and the deployment of technology through the Nigeria Police National Command and Control Centre (NPF-C4i), Nigeria Police Crime and Incident Database (NPC&IDB) Centre, etc.
He further set up the NPF Rescue me app made available on android and IOS platforms for the reportage of crimes, unprofessional conducts of Police Officers, and to contact an ambulance in the case of an emergency. IGP Baba also carried out coordinated mop-up of illicit weapons to curtail small arms and light weapons (SALW) proliferation in Nigeria.
The IGP further empowered the Force Medical Department to carry out psychological evaluation of police personnel disengaged from the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS); including getting the Salary and Wages Commission to work on a new salary structure for the Nigeria Police as directed by the President Muhammadu Buhari.
Under Baba’s leadership, the Police Act, 2020 was passed by the National Assembly.
After due consideration of all these, The Board of Editors on behalf of the management and staff of National Daily, unanimously nominated IGP Usman Baba as MAN OF THE YEAR 2022 for National Daily Awards, holding on March 23 in Lagos.
IGP Usman Alkali Baba had in a letter through the Force Public Relations Department, signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, acknowledged the nomination, and conveyed his acceptance and gratitude for this award recognizing his contributions towards actualizing a people friendly police system and leaving a legacy of policing with human face.
There are various other awardees from the banking, service, leadership and humanitarian industries for the National Daily Awards.
E-Signed
Sylvester Ebhodaghe
Chief Executive Officer/Editor-In-Chief
