Nigerian Police Hoist Flag In Gwoza

The three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe are set to have the presence of civil authority as the government continues with its anti-insurgency effort in the north east. 

The Nigerian Police has sent a delegation from the force headquarters led by Deputy Inspector General of Police Operations, Mr Sontonye Wakama to the Mobile Police training camp in Gwoza, Borno State.

It was the first time a senior official would be visiting Gwoza since its recapture by the military.

Five bridges had been blown out by the insurgents. This made the journey to Gwoza, which is a 6-hour journey spanning over 350km, a herculean one.

The convoy of the DIG drove into the Mobile Police training camp, staying within the mine-free zones. The tell-tale signs of the insurgents were still visible on some of the buildings.

With the infamous Sambisa forest just a stone throw away, Gwoza had become a ghost-town with very little civil population.

When the insurgents attacked the camp in June 2014, a sizeable number of policemen were killed while some disappeared and could not be traced till date.

Just before the hoisting of the flag, DIG Sontonye Wakama recounted the sacrifices of gallant officers in the fight against insurgency.

“Some time ago we lost this place, but with the help of our colleagues in the military and even our own policemen, we are now back here and we are here to stay.

“We are going to bring our men back here in very short time – maybe three weeks from now, and we are going to dominate this area again. In league with the military we shall sort out this area and there shall be no infiltration and then we will rebuild.

“The fact that our property has been destroyed does not mean that life has ended. We shall continue, the Police force remains, the Nigerian Army remain and the good people of Nigeria will still remain,” he said.

The Commanding Officer of the 143 Rangers Battalion, Lt. Col. Kolawole Oyebanji, said that this was the beginning of the process of handing over of civilian authority to the Police.

“We have done our best and I think that it is most appropriate the civil authority is coming so that they can also assist.

“I pray the civil authority come in very early so that we can also forge ahead and perform our military duties,” he said.