Yobe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam has said that the federal government must do  more to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of police officers for them to be able to effectively stand up to the security challenges facing the nation.

“In the course of their duties, as we have observed, the police is seriously handicapped  in the areas of logistics, training and welfare. Perhaps, this explains why it has been  difficult to do away with some of the unwholesome practices at checkpoints as the morale  of police personnel is at its lowest ebb,” Gaidam said.

Gaidam was speaking on Friday at the Government House, Damaturu, when Deputy Inspector  General of Police (DIG) ‘F’ Department, Mr Atiku Yusuf Kafur paid a courtesy call on him.

Kafur was on a visit to Damaturu to undertake an on-the-spot assessment of the town,  following last Monday’s encounter between members of the Boko Haram sect and security  personnel.

The Yobe State governor also advocated a special welfare package for police officers  and men ‘in the event of death, injury or accident in the course of discharging their  lawful responsibilities’.

He said this would equip police officers and men with the right frame of mind and give them the confidence to discharge their duties to the best of their abilities with the assurance that the government  ‘is there for them’.

Gaidam said, on its part, the Yobe State government is doing a lot to support the police  and other security agencies with the provision of 180 four-wheel drive jeeps and over N40  million monthly in ration cash allowance (RCA).

The DIG ‘F’ Department, on his part, commended Gaidam for being one of the ‘foremost state  governors’ in providing support to security agencies.

Kafur suggested, however, that the Yobe state government should undertake sensitization drive  among communities on the need for people to provide useful intelligence that would help in  apprehending criminals.

“In other states, people have realised that the responsibility of curtailing crime is not  the security agencies’ alone. In Kano for instance, people are quick to report any unknown  or suspicious persons they cite in their community. Here in Yobe too, we can achieve a  lot once people develop this mindset and collaborate with the security agencies”, Kafur  said.