New contingent of Nigerian Police arrive in Somalia

A new contingent of 140 Nigerian police officers has been deployed in Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to support ongoing pacification efforts.

The newly deployed personnel replace their colleagues who completed a one year tour of duty in Somalia in December 2016. The police officers attached to the Formed Police Unit arrived at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu on Wednesday 6 January 2016, where they were welcomed by AMISOM Deputy Police Commissioner, Christine Alalo.

“Specifically, they are coming to support the Somali police with operational duties. That is, escort duties, cordon and search operations, they will be doing day and night patrols like what the rest have been doing, to ensure that there is security within Mogadishu,” said the Deputy Police Commissioner.

The newly deployed personnel will undergo induction training before they commence their duties. The induction training is intended to introduce the personnel to the purpose of the mission in Somalia, and enable them adapt better to life in Somalia, before embarking on their one-year assignment.

Nigeria is one of the Police Contributing Countries (PCCs) under AMISOM, alongside Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Uganda. Alalo hailed Nigerian police personnel for the professional conduct while serving under AMISOM.

“Nigerian Police have done a commendable job. They have done very well and we appreciate that they have raised the Nigerian flag high and we expect the group that has come in to even do better. They are very professional in doing their work. They are very committed in doing their work, even despite the hardships,”  she noted.

The AMISOM Police Component has a mandate to mentor and train their counterparts in the Somali Police Force (SPF), to make them self sustaining and reliant.