AMISOM Hands Over Another Newly Constructed Police Station In Hiiraan Region

AMISOM has handed over a newly constructed police station in Jalalaqsi district to the Somali Police Force, to enhance security and the rule of law in Hiiraan region.

The station is the second in Hiiraan region, coming a few days after the handover of a renovated police station in Mahas district. The construction and renovation of police stations in the country by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is part of the stabilization program aimed at improving the institutional capacity of the Somali Police Force (SPF) to enable them secure the country.

“I led a team comprising the Somali Police Force Commissioner and members of the AMISOM civil affairs and police component to Jalalaqsi to officially commission and handover a newly constructed police station to the SPF Police Commissioner Mohamed Sheikh Hamud and the community,” the Acting Special Assistant to the AMISOM Police Commissioner, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Amadu Mannah said at the ceremony attended by local elders and members of public in Jalalaqsi on 23rd March, 2016.

The Somali Police Commissioner, Maj. Gen. Mohamed Sheikh Hamud, hailed AMISOM for its role in strengthening the SPF, adding that deployment of police officers to newly liberated areas is part of the stabilization process.
“The aim of this visit is to deploy Somali Police Force officers in the newly liberated areas and as you may be aware, AMISOM has been assisting Somali police in rehabilitating the police station in Jalalaqsi,” Somali Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. Hamud explained.

AIG Mannah said several such projects have already been unveiled in other parts of the country mainly Dhobley, Baidoa and Cadaale among others.

“We still have a few, including Barawe, that we shall undertake quickly and hopefully handover before the end of this year,” the Acting Special Assistant to the AMISOM Police Commissioner added.

Somali Police Commissioner, Maj. Gen. Mohamed Sheikh Hamud, observed that given the magnitude of the challenges facing the police force, it was necessary to prioritize, adding that SPF was currently focusing on training as well as providing the necessary equipment needed to maintain law and order.

“As you are aware this is part of the stabilization plan and is not an easy task,” noted the Somali Police Commissioner, who also called for more assistance.

Michael Kipoi, an officer from the AMISOM Civil Affairs Unit, said many such projects were ongoing while others were in the pipeline.

AMISOM