Combat-Ready: Anambra Police Officers Complete Intensive Training at Oji River

The Anambra State Police Command has successfully completed the training of 100 police personnel at the Oji River Police College in Enugu State.

The newly retrained officers were drawn from various police formations across Anambra State.

The training programme was designed to improve security operations and enhance arms-handling skills in order to strengthen efforts to combat crime in the state.
Explaining the reason for the training, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, after assessing the security situation in the state, wrote to the Inspector-General of Police requesting the training of selected officers to make them combat-ready for operations within Anambra.
According to him, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Disu Olatunji Rilwan, approved the request after reviewing the letter.
Following the approval, the Commissioner of Police met with the Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, who graciously approved the sponsorship for the training and retraining of the officers to address the prevailing security challenges in the state.
The programme culminated in a passing-out parade of the 100 trainees from the Anambra State Police Command, marking the end of the two-week Combat and Arms Drill Training held at the Oji River Police College in Enugu State.
The training exercise was facilitated by the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, and sponsored by the Anambra State Government.
The aim of the exercise was to strengthen the Command with combat-ready officers capable of professionally handling and combating crime and criminal activities across the state.
Speaking at the passing-out parade of the 100 police officers at Oji River, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Disu Olatunji Rilwan, warned the trainees to guard against the misuse of firearms in the course of their duties.
The IGP also charged them to ensure strict compliance with professional ethics and decorum in their engagements with the civilian population.
According to him, their primary responsibility is to protect law-abiding citizens of the country.
The Inspector-General of Police, who was represented by the Commandant of the College, Assistant Inspector-General of Police Emmanuel Simon, said:
“My charge to the trainees is that as you pass out today, I sincerely congratulate you and equally challenge all of you to exhibit a high level of professionalism and tact by making use of the tactical knowledge imparted to you to combat crime and ensure that criminal activities are reduced to the barest minimum within your areas of coverage.”
He added:
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Disu Olatunji Rilwan, is solidly behind you and will ensure that all necessary support is provided as you go out there to perform your duties professionally, devoid of human rights violations. The IGP will not tolerate any form of misuse of firearms or accidental discharge.”
Also speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Air Vice Marshal Ben Chiobi (Rtd), who represented Governor Charles Soludo, stated that the Anambra State Government’s sponsorship of the training programme is part of its continuous effort to tackle insecurity and other forms of criminality in the state.
He explained that the support provided to the Police Command is also being extended to other security agencies operating in the state.
According to him, Governor Charles Soludo considers the security of lives and property as a top priority in his vision of transforming Anambra into a prosperous, secure, and smart city state.
Similarly, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Ibrahim Ezekiel, stated that the training forms part of the Command’s capacity-building programme for officers and men.
He added that the exercise is also crucial in boosting the morale of operatives in the fight against crime in the state.
Orutugu thanked Governor Soludo for his continued support to the Police Command and expressed confidence that the training would produce multiplier effects in the operational performance of the participating officers.