By ABIRHIRE THOMAS
The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), zone 5, Mr Lawan Jimeta has said that peace in the country is non-negotiable.
Jimeta said this in Benin, on Wednesday, when the management of the United Nations Positive Livelihood Award Centre (UN-POLAC) presented him with a certificate of award of Honourary Doctorate degree on Peace and Conflict Resolution.
He noted that peace is essential for the nation to progress and for all citizens to freely worship and work.
According to him, peace is a panacea for development and an atmosphere of lack of peace and security breeds hardship for the people and underdevelopment for the society.
He reiterated his commitment to the service of the Nigeria Police Force in particular and the country at large.
He noted that the force provided him the opportunity to serve in the UN’s various conflict zones round the world and appreciated the IG for the privilege.
He, therefore, pledged to use the honours done him to further advance the course of peace throughout his service and beyond.
Earlier, Dr Okolie Sadiq, National Director for Logistics, UN-POLAC, said that the AIG was honoured with the award because of his contributions toward peace and conflict resolution all over the world.
He described the AIG was a man of peace and honour, haven been at the helms of affairs as the longest serving director of peace keeping of the Nigeria Police Force at one time.
He said the AIG was eminently qualified for the award.
According to him, we are all aware of the world we are in today, a world where peace seems to be an illusion.
“This is because there can’t be peace when there is no justice, fairness and equity. It’s only when the world is at peace that everyone can live a peaceful life.
“The AIG has been preaching peace for a long time, he has been advocating for peace and his assignment then as a director of peace keeping automatically made him an ambassador of peace.”
Sadiq noted that the work of a disciplined police officer was not just to arrest and prosecute, but to also broker peace among warring parties
“They advocate, mediate and profer solutions to problems within our society. People should not make it a point of call that the duty of the police are solely to arrest and prosecute.
“Their responsibility goes beyond that,” he said.
