Abayomi Susan
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has sought stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force towards safeguarding critical power infrastructure across the country, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the reliability and sustainability of Nigeria’s electricity sector.
The Minister made the call on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, psc(+), NPM, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, where he solicited enhanced support from the Police in tackling the growing threat of vandalism and other criminal activities targeting power assets.
Tegbe, who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary and other members of the Ministry’s management team, emphasized the need for increased surveillance and protection of critical installations to support the reforms being implemented in the power sector.
During the meeting, the Minister commended the Nigeria Police Force for its performance under the leadership of IGP Disu, noting that the protection of power infrastructure remains a shared responsibility requiring sustained cooperation among relevant government agencies.
He identified the vandalization of electricity infrastructure as one of the major challenges confronting the sector and called for strengthened security measures to protect key facilities and ensure uninterrupted power supply for Nigerians.
Responding, the Inspector-General of Police appreciated the Minister’s visit, describing the engagement as a demonstration of the importance of collaboration between security institutions and critical sectors of the economy.
IGP Disu reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to protecting critical national infrastructure, enhancing energy security and ensuring that individuals involved in vandalism and other power-related crimes are brought to justice.
The Police chief also expressed readiness to collaborate with the Ministry of Power to establish a Joint Task Force on the Protection of Power Infrastructure, assuring the Minister of the Force’s full support in safeguarding power sector assets and personnel.
The engagement highlights the Federal Government’s continued commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s power sector through improved inter-agency collaboration, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
