Acting Inspector-General of Police (AIGP), Mohammed Abubakar says the removal of police road blocks across the Nation’s roads was for the good of all Nigerians.

The acting Inspector-General of Police, who stated this during his one-day official/familiarisation visit to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, last Friday averred that the road blocks mounted in the past did more harm to the force and the nation at large than the desired good it was meant for.

According to him, such act led to the battered image of the force by members of the public who accused the force of being corrupt, adding that since the removal of the road blocks, the image of the force has improved  steadily.

“The road blocks have done much harm than good. Armed robbers will stop at the check points mounted by policemen and bribe them, have their way without arrest. But today, such has become history as road blocks have gone for ever,” he added.

He disclosed that Nigerians have benefited immensely since the removal of the road blocks across the roads, adding that such measures were aimed at improving the perception of the force by members of the public.

He further disclosed that his administration will accord training and retraining of staff high premium, adding that a trained police force will perform its duties effectively to make the society better.

The police boss noted that it was in recognition of the importance of training that he declared a state of emergency on all the training institutions of the force on assumption of duty, adding that over 45,000 policemen are currently under going various training programmes within and outside the country.

He disclosed that the security challenges witnessed across the country would soon be a thing of the past, noting that there is no country in the world that is without a story of crime challenges.

The acting Inspector-General of Police identified lack of motivation, incentives and enhanced salary package as some of the impendiments affecting the performance of the force, and urged all levels of government to assist the force to function effectively.

He stated that the reason for visiting the state was to meet with various stakeholders, apart from men and officisls of the command so as to interact with them on how best the force can move forward, as well as make people accept the force in the society.

The AIP, while commending traditional rulers for their support to the force in fighting crime in the society, called on all to join hands with the police in other to enthrone a peaceful society for all.

He called for attitudinal change of people, especially in the areas of security and crime prevention among the people, and advised that people should be interested in knowing even their neighbours.

The inspector-general of Police used the medium to call on the media to stop giving promienence and publicity to criminal activities, especially the Boko Haram, adding that the force was capable of clamping down of the menace.

He thanked the state government for its support to the security operatives, especially the Police force, and assured of the force’s determination to fight crime in the country.

Earlier, the State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Indabawa had commended the acting Inspector-general of Police for his visit, and assured him of the readiness of the command in fighting crime.