By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has launched a green initiative to combat the effect of climate change and global warming, the initiative is to promote encourage the NPF to embrace emission reduction programme and renewable energy soure of power.
According to a statement issued on Monday by Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, He said, “The Nigeria Police Force recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a Green Initiative known as the Nigeria Police Green Initiative aimed at engaging green innovative solutions to boost the operational efficiency and capacity of the NPF to fight crime and maintain law and order in Nigeria. The Initiative further supports the socio-economic development of the nation, environmental sustainability, climate change, as well as supporting the lives and livelihoods of the members of the Nigeria Police Force and their families.
A key aspect of the Initiative is “Nigeria Police Emission Reduction Programme” which is aligned to the national and global direction in addressing climate change issues through emission reduction projects and lifestyle to be adopted by all Police Officers so as to create awareness for responsible production and consumption across sectors including renewable energy source for lighting applications such as solar lighting across the Police Stations, Police Colleges, Police Barracks, Police Outpost and Communities in alignment with the transition to low-carbon climate-resilient development.
Additionally, the initiative aims at promoting eco-friendly transportation methods within the Police Force. This includes transitioning to electric vehicles and gas conversion vehicles thus reducing premium motor spirits (PMS) consumption and air pollution while increasing efficiency and promoting a healthier lifestyle among police personnel and the community. The Initiative will also leverage environmentally sustainable waste and water management include solar boreholes, waste-to-energy programmes, thereby reducing operational cost, create jobs and a cleaner environment.
The NPF is also going beyond our immediate environment by lighting up Communities with Solar Power to reduce security vulnerability and herder-farmer crisis, conducting outreach programs to educate citizens on the importance of preserving natural resources, reducing pollution, and engaging in sustainable practices, thereby effectively managing natural resource-induced conflicts such as the herder-famer conflicts.
The Nigeria Police is leading by example by recognizing the need for government agencies and private sector to take proactive measures in aligning Climate Action with law enforcement and security issues. We have identified major primary stakeholders such as the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, who will work with us in the take-off and sustainability of this great green initiative.
Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Inspector General of Police emphasizes that the Nigeria Police Green Initiative could not have come at a better time, as the world currently prepares for the Twenty-eighth session of the Conference of Parties (COP28) on Climate Change coming up in Dubai from 30th November to 12th December, 2023. He assures that at COP28, Nigeria will rank among the nations where government institutions are leading-by-example on climate change issues as the Nigeria Police Green Initiative is a testament of the determination by the Nigeria Police Force to add tremendous value to the Federal Government while performing its core law enforcement responsibilities.