Nyusi Challenges Police To Step Up Fight Against Terrorism

Maputo, 27 May (AIM) – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Friday challenged the police to step up the fight against terrorism and organized crime.

He was speaking at the close of a basic police course at Matalana, about 30 kilometres north of Maputo.

“There’s no room for retreat”, said Nyusi. “Police agents should be ready to confront crime in all its various forms, against terrorism, against kidnapping, against organized crime”.

The police, he added, must be on the ground to guarantee the security of citizens. Addressing the course graduates, Nyusi said they must serve the Mozambican state, and obey the order established within the police force.

As for road accidents, the President said the police should inspect motorists rigorously and not limit themselves to checking their documents.

“Look at the technical state of the vehicles driving on our roads”, he recommended.

Nyusi ordered the new police agents to work in coordination with the communities, “since these are the foundations of our causes as a people”.

He cited, as an example, the coordination between the police and the community in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, “where the public denounce those who are recruiting for the terrorists. These are the communities whom we should respect, and rely on for all kinds of work against crime”.

Nyusi stressed that the new recruits should be committed to the cause of the nation, respecting the principle of legality, so that Mozambicans may deposit greater confidence in the police.

They must refrain from criminal activities. “We don’t want to hear that police agents are involved in crimes”, warned Nyusi. Instead, they should distance themselves from illegal acts, and respect the laws and regulations.

The President was also pleased at the fact that none of the new recruits had to be rejected on health grounds. “On past courses, there were agents who were not prepared to join the ranks, because they had health and other problems. But this time we did not have such situations”.

To mitigate the impact of climate change, Nyusi said the police have the duty to assist members of the public faced with natural disasters, as had happened recently with floods in the nearby district of Boane.
(AIM)
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