The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on Monday handed over the renovated Canine Section popularly called `K9’ Unit of the Force Animal Branch in Ikeja to the state police command.
The Lagos Province 47 of the RCCG renovated the unit as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The K9 Unit of the Nigeria Police Force is designated to take care of the police dogs specially trained for security and detecting explosives.
Pastor Idowu Oluwamade, a Special Assistant to Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of RCCG, inaugurated the facilities.
Oluwamade said that it was part of the Christian Social Responsibility programme to contribute toward the development of the society.
Oluwamade said he hoped the gesture would boost the morale of the officers at the K9 Section to give their best while discharging their duties. Also speaking, Pastor Femi Obawoye of the province said that the church decided to execute the project as part of its social responsibility to assist the Nigeria Police Force.
He added that the church did it because it knew the importance of police dogs to security.
Obawoye noted that the government could not provide all things in terms of security.
The pastor said that the church having looked round found that the dogs’ quarters needed attention for the good of the animals and their handlers.
Similarly, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos state, CP Zubairu Muazu, represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police in Charge of Finance and Administration, DCP Oqua Etim, commended the church for executing the project.
Muazu said that the intervention would help boost crime prevention in the state.
He said, “The Police Canine Section popularly called K9 was established in 1963 in Obalende, Lagos with six dogs and six handlers.
“The function of K9 section is to prevent and detect crime through the use of dogs. Police dogs are used for crowd control, perimeter surveillance and condoning.
“Sniffer dogs help in detecting illicit drugs such as: cocaine, heroin, hemps, explosives, arms and concealed corpse.
“They equally help in tracking suspects, search-and- rescue operations, searching for weapons and recovery of loss or stolen property.
“The dogs also are used for the apprehension of offenders resisting arrest or attempting to evade service.
“Police dogs can perform the functions of 10 armed officers. The K9 Section, Lagos State Command covers every part of Lagos.
“Join me in thanking the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 47, for renovating the canine and dilapidated K9 building, for donating a borehole and training facilities for the dogs.
“The church also brought a 5KVA generator. These incentives are to facilitate the optimal utilisation of the police dogs in crime prevention, detection and apprehension of criminals,” he said.
The police boss said the officers would put the newly purchased training facilities into use.
He said that this would boost the performance of the trained dogs to help achieve the above mentioned goals.
He said that it would also in turn lower crime rate in Lagos State.
The Commissioner of Police, Animal Branch, CP Aishatu Abubakar , PhD, commended the church for the gesture, adding that it would not have come at a better time.
“The Force Animal Branch is indeed grateful to the leadership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, especially, Province 47 pastorate for finding our facility worthy of intervention by its Christian Social Responsibility programme.
“Similarly, may I call on other well-meaning Nigerians also to emulate this kind gesture exhibited by the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
“By doing so; definitely, you will be contributing immensely to the safety of our dear country.
“In the same vein, permit me at this juncture to bring to you the special commendations of the Inspector General of Police and his management team.
“It is his directives that I reassure you of his commitment in not only ensuring a crime free Lagos but Nigeria at large,” she said.
Abubakar also commended her officers in Lagos for doing well, admonishing them to see the kind of intervention as a call to serve.
NAN reports that there was the demonstration of how the dogs used to operate by their handlers. (NAN)