The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has said that efforts to reshape Nigeria and address societal ills plaguing the female gender require active participation of women.
In an audience with the Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who led senior female police officers on a courtesy visit to her office at the State House, Abuja on Monday, Mrs Tinubu noted, with pride, the active involvement of a large number of women in policing and securing the country. She said the current administration of President Bola Tinubu has given more room to women to contribute their own quota to national development.
“It is the beginning of a new dawn for women in the country as the current administration will give women more room to contribute their quota. I am also looking for ways to contribute. We cannot have a Nigeria without people doing new and great things,” she said.
On how the senior female police officers and other women can help forge a better Nigeria, the President’s wife charged them to lead the action in addressing some of the ills such as rape, child abuse, human trafficking and proliferation of baby factories that affect them the most in the society.
“Women must thrive and be empowered in a safe environment. We want to see our children not abused through crimes and maltreatment, rape of minors and children. There must be reduction in cases of human trafficking, organ harvesting and baby factory”, she said, adding that she is looking forward to a day when a female would become the Inspector General of Police.
Applauding the steadfast advocacy by the First Lady for setting the pace and advancing the interest of women in the country, Sulaiman-Ibrahim noted that gender equality, safeguarding of human rights and empowerment of women were key anchors of a just and fair society.
She said: “We are working on a bold initiatives aimed at not only addressing existing challenges, but fundamentally reshaping the Nigeria Police into a modern, responsive, intelligence-led and technology-driven institution. We recognise the limitations of past reforms and are now taking a more proactive and holistic transformation that permeates every facet of police operations. We are here today not just to discuss but to seek your collaboration, for we understand that the collective advancement of these crucial issues requires your esteemed support and partnership”.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim is the first female Minister of State for Police Affairs in Nigeria.
