By Sheku Tanga
Information Attaché
Sierra Leone High Commission
Abuja-Nigeria
The Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police Force (IGP), Dr. Ambrose Sovula on Tuesday 17th 2021 signed a bilateral agreement with the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba on collaboration and supporting each other on security related matters.
The signing of the agreement proves the high level of trust between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Signing the agreement at Police Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, the IGP of Sierra Leone, Dr. Michael Sovula recalled the long-existing relationship between Nigeria and Sierra Leone stemming from the abolition of slavery in the 1800 during which many liberated slaves among them Nigerians were brought to settle in what is present day Freetown.
He also commended the Federal Government of Nigeria for the numerous supports Sierra Leone has benefited from including their intervention in ending the civil war, providing training opportunities for the security apparatus and many others.
“My hope is to have this relationship cemented and sustained for the benefit of the two organizations for a very long time to come”, I.G Sovula stated.
He commended the IGP of the Nigeria Police Force, Usman Alkali Baba for providing the platform for ten senior police officers who came to be trained in Nigeria saying that it will add more value to their professionalism in executing their duties on behalf of the country.
The IG noted that the agreement signed will strengthen cooperation between Nigeria and Sierra Leone in the area of capacity building and exchange programmes on security issues.
On his part, the IGP of the National Police Force of Nigeria Usman Alkali Baba described the visit of IG Ambrose Michael Sovula, the Internal Affairs Minister, David Panda-Noah and the President of the Police Wives Association, Mrs Angela Sovula as significant in a number of ways.
He said the visit is a clear statement of the commitment of the authorities of both countries to boost bilateral cooperation and strengthen transnational police network as a strategic approach that is directed at addressing national and regional security challenges.
“The event marks another collaborative milestone in our common efforts to enhance the professional capacity of officers of the Police Forces in both countries, especially, at strategic leadership level. Crime is dynamic and it is increasingly transnational both in its planning, perfection and execution”.
He noted that “the impact of crime also resonates beyond the borders where it is committed. Hence, it is only through bilateral police cooperation of this nature that nations can successfully confront regional and indeed, global security threats”.
IGP Usman Alkali Baba said that Nigeria Police Force has a historically unique relationship with its counterparts in Sierra Leone and that the two institutions have been collaborating, particularly, in relation to offering training and capacity development opportunities to Sierra Leonean Police officers.
He stated that the Nigeria Police Force values the relationship it enjoys with other Law Enforcement partners within the West African region and assured to sustain their collaboration and supporting training and capacity building programmes at all levels.
The two Inspector Generals of Police in their engagements have laid the foundation to implementing specific joint initiatives in the security architecture. Sierra Leone and Nigeria police forces have come from a common position on evaluating the treats of insecurity and using information, communication technologies to tackle crimes at all levels
