TOUR LIKE NO OTHER: HOW ENERGETIC HON. IMAAN SULEIMAN-IBRAHIM MADE RENEWED HOPE POLICING AGENDA COUNT FOR LAGOS
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
‘Ma, I think it is time to head straight to the Command HQ?’
‘Not yet, I think I need to get to so and so place before we finish up at the Command.’ Such were the conversation between Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, the Honorable Minister (State), Ministry of Police Affairs and her aides as she toured all the major formations of the Nigeria Police in Lagos state in less than 10 hours on Tuesday. The working tour was part of the lineup of activities of the Minister to Lagos. She had earlier hosted the maiden edition of the Citizens Townhall Engagement on Policing, Trek Africa Newspaper can report.
From Zone 2 HQ (comprising Lagos and Ogun), Onikan, Lagos to attending the Governor’s Townhall Meeting held by LSSTF to the Police Training College, Police Medical Centre, Police Training School, Police barracks, and then rounding up late evening at the Lagos State Police Command HQ, Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim went the long haul. The energetic Minister didn’t show fatigue and disinterest rather displayed high-level technical knowhow and passion as she engaged the leaders of each of those formations at every point. Where they did well, she celebrated and applauded. Where they didn’t do too well, she wasn’t hesitant about expressing those shortcomings.
As Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim engaged, the aides took critical notes on planning and implementation. ‘Take note of this. I think we need to add that to the budget’, the Minister instructed. As she engaged the police officers, she was also involving ministry officials who came with her to see the workability of ideas. It was a beehive of activity, most times while standing.
Trek Africa Newspaper observed that everyone who was part of the tour as well as police officers who met with Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim at the various formations can see the determination, passion, and excellence which she is bringing into the office. They were excited and agreed no less that Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim is pumped up to deliver on the Renewed Hope Policing Agenda.
No one expressed this optimism better than the Board Member of LSSTF, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan when he put it aptly to the Minister, ‘We believe so much in you and we are very optimistic that during your tenure, the condition of Nigeria Police will be better. By the time you leave the position, we will look back and praise God that a rare personality, changemaker, and game changer has come. I believe that is you. Please ma, help the Nigeria Police Force to the next level’.
As often as she got the opportunity throughout the tour, Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim shared her motivation. They were the words she heard at the recent Ministers’ retreat. ‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu told us that we cannot continue to spend our people, we have to find the money to spend.’
