Tension in Kano as 100-level Cadet Dies Over Staff Negligence At Ill-Equipped Nigerian Police Academy Clinic

According to some of the cadets, the poor state of their hostels had become an impediment to their studies as they no longer had conducive atmosphere for their academic activities.

The Nigerian Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State, has been embroiled in turmoil over the death of a 100-level cadet identified as A.S. Jika.

The year-one student of Department of Sociology died on Saturday at the institution’s medical centre.

It was learnt that the deceased is the son of Alhaji Haliru Jika, a former House of Representatives committee chairman of police and a current senator.

A classmate of the deceased who pleaded anonymity narrated to SaharaReporters how the negligence of staff at the police training school cost Jika his life.

He said the deceased could have survived the “malaria sickness” if the health care personnel acted promptly.

The source added that students and staff of the institution had been complaining bitterly about the services at the academy clinic.

“We just lost a cadet today due to malaria at the police academy. The boy has been in the clinic for 3 days without receiving treatment until he died today,” he said.

On the state of the clinic, a 400-level cadet said, “Yes, we do complain. If we go to the clinic, the highest drug they give us is Paracetamol. How can they give paracetamol for pneumonia?

“A cadet will go there sometime/ and they’ll chase us back. We really need intervention please. People are sick but they are scared to go the clinic because even if they go, nothing will be done. Since this commandant came, He has made life very difficult for us. The food is nothing to write home about.”

The Nigeria Police Academy was established in 1988 following the need to upgrade the quality of Nigeria Police Force from the inherited British Colonial West African Frontier Force.

It was also established as part of the Police Reform initiative; to produce the ideal Superior Police Officer who is equipped with knowledge and skills to face the challenges of policing in an increasingly complex Nigerian society and technologically sophisticated world. It is built on the philosophy to train highly reformed, mobile, innovative, effective civil police.

Before 1988, the Academy was running a dual programme of Cadets Inspectors and Cadets Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASPs) at Challawa, Kaduna and then Wudil.

Degree and Diploma holden were given an eighteen months programme in Police professional training and Police laws without any input by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The necessity to upgrade and convert the Academy to a Degree awarding cropped up due to the barrage of challenges poised by security issues locally and globally.

In 2022, it had been reported the deplorable state of hostels in the institution.

According to some of the cadets, the poor state of their hostels had become an impediment to their studies as they no longer had conducive atmosphere for their academic activities.

Credit: Sahara Reporter