BY Gbenga Ariyibi

Ado-Ekiti—The Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade, has  pledged to restructure the Nigeria Police to  meet not only the exigencies of the nation, but to become a model in Africa .

This came as the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, said   neglect of the police during the military regimes were  deliberate because of the internal rivalry between the police and the military.

Olubolade who spoke during a visit to  Oba Adejugbe’s palace, admitted that many things were wrong with the police.

He said: ’’Many things are wrong with the police, the image of the police must be redeemed, l will do everything within my power to achieve this.

“Police work must be made to be attractive. People have always said that Police is your friend, and should really be friend.”

Olubolade urged the public to assist police with useful information to help fight crime, pledging that the identities of those who provide such information would be protected.

He said: “Our people must be made to have confidence in the ability of the police to deliver and for this to be achieved, members of the public must aid Police in the area of information.”

The minister promised that the police would be provided with modern equipment to tackle the security challenges facing the country, especially the Boko-Haram menace.

Welcoming the minister to his palace, Oba Adejugbe, described the Police Affairs Ministry as strategic to the development of the nation.

He lamented that former Military leaders underfunded and marginalized the force.

The military thought if they empowered the Police, it would be a potent Force that could challenge them and this they didn’t want. Navy Capt Caleb Olubolade is matured to be Minister and now he has emerged and their absolutely nothing anybody can do about that. So, I advise the PDP members to close rank and forget about this pull-him-down habit”.