Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi has inaugurated the 16-member Governing Board of Police Academy (POLAC) after President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval.

The appointees, comprising stakeholders from the security agency and the academia, were inaugurated at the Ministry of Police Affairs, Headquarters in Abuja.

Dingyadi reaffirms the President’s commitment to bequeath a reformed, professionalized and motivated Force with a view to institutionalizing proactive policing.

The minister said POLAC encourages the advancement of learning and to avail officers the opportunity to acquire higher and liberal education without discrimination of sex, political, religious, or ethnic affiliation.

The institution took off in 1988 at two temporary campuses; Police Training School Challawa in Kano, where cadet Inspectors were trained; and Police College in Kaduna, where cadet ASPs were trained.

“The campuses were merged and relocated to the permanent site in Wudil, Kano, after the commissioning on the 2nd April 1996.

“The institution was upgraded to a degree-awarding institution in September 2012,” Dingyadi added.

Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba Alkali pledged the commitment of the council, adding that the academy continues to produce fine police officers in various fields of study.

The new board is expected to fully operationalize the provisions of the Police Academy (Establishment) Act 2021 signed into law by the President on April 7, 2022.

Also known as Nigeria Police Academy Council, the board supervises the policies, finances and property of the academy; approves courses and programmes; promotes and disciplines staff, among others.