#EndSARS: CACOVID pledges N100bn for new police equipment

The private sector-led coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has pledged N100 billion to procure new equipment for police officers and rebuild police stations that were destroyed during the crisis that followed the protest against police brutality.

In October, the #EndSARS protest started peacefully but later got hijacked by hoodlums, resulting in vandalisation and looting of public and private assets in the country.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the coalition said it was determined to restore security in all locations of the affected police stations.

“CACOVID has committed to fully rehabilitate all 44 damaged and destroyed police stations nationwide in a bid to restore provision of security in affected locations,” the statement read.

“To further strengthen the security apparatus in the country, CACOVID has committed to provide over N100 billion to procure equipment and gadgets for the Nigerian Police Force over the next 2 years; as our contribution to fully modernise the Nigerian Police.”

CACOVID also unveiled a N150 billion technical and vocational education development program to empower 4 million youth, which would run for 5 years.

“Selected students on conclusion of the program will be certified by the appropriate standards board and will be eligible to receive loans to support their entrepreneurial pursuits,” CACOVID said.

“So far, over N25 billion will be domiciled in a fund to support these entrepreneurial pursuits, which would also include acquisition of related equipment to conduct business activities.”

The coalition added that graduates with entrepreneurial skills will benefit from its joint venture with Bankers Committee to complete the creative center at National Arts Theater, Lagos.

CACOVID said it received a total of N39.64 billion as donation from members of the private sector and spent N43.272 billion on various interventions.

It said N13.2 billion was spent on medical facilities and equipment, N28.7 billion on food supplies as palliatives to 1.7 million households which translates to 8 million Nigerians and the rest went towards creating awareness about the coronavirus.