Police to use football club to improve image

The police in Enugu say it will use its football club, Crime Busters FC, to improve its image and strengthen its relationship with the Nigerian public.

The club’s manager, Ebere Amaraizu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu that it had the backing of the Inspector -General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase and other top officers of the force.

“We have a lot of support from Force Headquarters; we have a lot of support from commissioner of police here; we have a lot of support from the sports journalists here.

“We have a lot of support from all our wishers, who want the Crime Busters to excel.

“It is a police team and the police want to use it to improve their relationship with members of the public, improve their partnership with members of the public.

“Through that too, there would be mass participation in crime prevention.

“It brings people together; as they are supporting you too, they are also supporting crime prevention because supporting the team owned by police means that you are in love with the police.’’

Amaraizu said that it was the plan of the police authorities to make the Enugu-based team play in the Nigerian Professional League.

He said that the club’s participation in the Federation Cup competition in the course of the year had enabled the players to improve.

“We have set-up email, facebook, and instagram accounts to create awareness about the club and allow our teeming fans to follow us as we re-strategise for 2016.

“These accounts will also enable sports journalists to get to know our players and our team list ahead of national and Grade-A friendly matches,’’ he said.