Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, has promised to establish highly trained and disciplined anti-terrorist battalions to combat insecurity in the country.
Tinubu’s vision for a new Nigeria is detailed in his 80-page manifesto, “Renewed Hope 2023, Action Plan for a Better Nigeria,” which was unveiled yesterday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He also promised that the Police Force would be repositioned to carry out its primary responsibilities of community policing and maintaining law and order through crime fighting and prevention.
Tinubu stated that police officers would be relieved of extraneous duties such as VIP security and guard duties.
He said: “Highly trained and disciplined anti-terrorist battalions (ABATTS) with special forces units will be created. Their objective shall be to seize the strategic and tactical initiative, giving terrorists, kidnappers and bandits.
“Military units will be better equipped with tactical communications gear and new vehicles to give them a greater communications and mobility advantage over criminals, bandits and terrorists.
“We will further modernise our Armed Forces by ensuring that our weapons systems (land, sea and air) are capable of addressing current and anticipated security threats in the modern world. This shall also mean the recruitment of people who possess the technical skills required for today’s military.”
The APC candidate emphasized that if elected, his administration would reduce the country’s reliance on imported foreign military equipment by increasing domestic production of basic and essential military hardware and equipment, such as small arms and ammunition.
He added: “Police reform will be focused on positioning the institution to better deliver on its primary duties of community policing and maintaining law and order through crime fighting and prevention. Police personnel will be freed from extraneous duties such as VIP security and guard duties.
“VIP Security and provision of security for government buildings, installations and other critical assets will be transferred to The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The NSCDC shall be evaluated and reformed to be better integrated with our internal security apparatus.”
Tinubu stated that his administration would put in place measures to prevent attacks on critical national infrastructure, dubbed the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Plan.
He added that modern technologies, tools, and equipment would be deployed as part of this effort to end crude oil theft, prevent vandalism of national assets, and keep environmental pollution in the Niger Delta to a bare minimum.