By DAYO ADESULU

Novena University, Ogume, Delta State which prides itself as the only tertiary institution in Nigeria that offers courses on security has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria Police Force to boost security intelligence in the country.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, DIG Marvel Akpoyibo who represented the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.D Abubakar said: “Since crime has become more dynamic, more sophisticated and more transnational, it has become imperative that the Nigeria Police adopt intelligence- based policing methodology,” noting that “the choice of Novena University was purposive because of the university’s reputation and track record in the field of Intelligence Studies and application.”

Abubakar who pointed out that the MoU was centred on Intelligence training noted that it will cover  diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate levels with the Nigeria Police.

According to the IG, “the benefits of this collaboration between Novena University and the Nigeria Police will be felt in the Police College, the Intelligence Schools, the policemen on the beats and on the living conditions of Nigerians.”

January 7, 2014 in Abuja, senior ranking officers of the Nigeria Police Force and a high profile delegation of Novena University, led by its Vice-Chancellor, Professor  Chris Aniche Okoroafor, witnessed the ceremony which took place at the Office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Police Training, DIG Marvel Akpoyibo.

In his opening remarks on the occasion, the Assistant Inspector General of Police on Intelligence Unit, AIG Solomon Arase said the process that culminated in the signing of the MoU started more than a year ago when the police decided to “set up Intelligence Schools in line with its new philosophy of Intelligence-Driven Policing.”

He maintained that partnering with Novena University will help “train and sharpen the intellect of police officers who will become well grounded in the fine art of the profession to achieve the finest tradition of intelligence gathering.”

On its part, Prof. Chris Okoroafor corroborated the position of the DIG when he disclosed that “Novena University initiated the collaboration programme to work with the Nigeria Police in the effort to provide Nigerians with upgraded, 21st Century-compliant security solutions needed for national security and sustainable national development.”

He said: “Nigeria has had a fair share of security challenges that have bedeviled many nations of the world over the years; ranging from terrorism to kidnapping, child trafficking, drug trafficking, hired killings, gun-running, armed struggles, militancy, civil disobedience, armed robbery, internet fraud, plundering of the treasury, piracy, oil bunkering and the likes of them. Unfortunately, these crimes rather than abating have been growing in sophistication and frequency, giving the Nigeria police the arduous task of combating these crimes with equal, if not, better sophistication.

“As it is the duty of every university to impact positively on its society, and encouraged by the verve and vigor with which IG Mohammed Abubakar and his men have combated these crimes in recent times, Novena University initiated this programme to work with the Nigeria Police. The Department of Intelligence and Security Studies was established nine years ago as one of the flagship programmes of the university to impart substantive knowledge and analytical skills required by professionals in the intelligence community.