UK Begins Training Of Nigeria Police On Counter Kidnapping

Solomon-AraseThe United Kingdom (UK) Police on Monday began a seminar to train the Nigeria Police on the United Nation’s manual on counter kidnapping.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase while declaring open the seminar at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, said the menace of kidnapping has proven a tough challenge for the police.

He recalled that kidnapping of expatriate oil workers in the Niger Delta region was initially perceived to have been caused by economic and social unrest in the region, lamenting that kidnapping has now assumed a frightening dimension with traditional rulers and politicians targeted by the hoodlums.

He noted that: “our strategic response has always been to discourage payment of ransom, but we are also worried about safety of the victims”.

Arase expressed delight for the training, which he says will sharpen the skills and capacity of Nigeria police officers.

Earlier, leader of the UK trainers, John Branney, said the training will rely on the United Nations training manual, which he says is of international standard of best practices.

Branney added that the UK national crime agency is interested in transferring technical skills and capacity to their Nigerian counterparts, stressing that many British citizens have been kidnapped in Nigeria.