By Sadiq Abubakar
Maiduguri
The Borno state government has in compliance with the federal government directive to all the 36 state governments to use 1% of their monthly statutory allocations from the federal government on Police Reform in their various states, yesterday distributed 40 new brand four wheel drive Hilux vans to the Borno State Police Command worth N300 million.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state who stated this during the presentation of the fleet of the security patrol vehicles also said, the state government had also drilled 10 units of boreholes in 10 different police barracks in the state and renovated Bulunkutu burnt down Divisional Police Headquarters Maiduguri while the state government also pays N1 million to any slain police officer serving in the state as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency from the 1% monthly statutory allocations to the state.
The Secretary to the State Government [SSG], Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jiddah who presented the bunch of keys to the Inspector General of Police [IGP] Alhaji Suleiman Abba who started his police career in Borno State as ASP in 1986 after his Cadet graduation with Bulabulin Police Divisional Headquarters Maiduguri and Biu Divisional Police Headquarters, Biu LGC of Borno state.
The IGP had earlier during the courtesy call on the governor at the Government House Council Chamber Maiduguri yesterday disclosed that he was in Maiduguri for three reasons; to assess the performance of the police personnel in the state, extend the appreciation and gratitude of the NPF to the state government and people of Borno for the assistance and support rendered to the police formation in the state as well as acquaint himself with the problems and challenges the state Police Command is confronting in the wake of the persistent Boko Haram insurgency in the discharge of its civic responsibility to the state.
He also said that Borno state is the first state in the federation to assist and support the police from the 1% state monthly statutory allocation as part of the National Police Reform Programme of President Jonathan Goodluck.