Officers of the Gombe State Police Command have been urged to eschew corruption and acts of indiscipline in the course of performing their professional functions of maintaining law and order.
The advice was given by the Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Usman in his maiden press conference since he was appointed and deployed to the Command.
According to him, “I am not unmindful of other challenges bordering on professional misconduct on the part of our officers and men such as incivility to members of the public. The command under my watch, will deal with any member of the force caught in accordance with laid down procedures.”
The CP stressed that crime is inevitable and is part of every society, that is why laws are made to punish those who break them saying that the state has its own peculiar security challenges like every state in the country.
These according to him, include pockets of thuggery, farmers/herders dispute which is seasonal, culpable homicide, armed robbery especially motorcycle snatching amongst others.
“And by the grace of God, the police Command under my watch is on its toes fighting these criminal activities during which many suspects were arrested and arraigned in courts for prosecution,” he assured.
He also stated “Gentlemen of the press, you can bear me witness, as we always invite you to this very headquarters for press conference where suspects were paraded before you for the general public to be informed of the effort we are making to ensure that the state maintains its record as the most peaceful in the country.
“In keeping with the vision of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun to stem the tide of crime and make Nigeria safer and more secure for economic development and growth, the Command under my watch shall take drastic measures on fighting crimes and it’s perpetrators.
“Therefore, all our efforts and energies shall be geared towards the prevention of crimes and the successful apprehension of offenders that would test our resolve. Consequently, the Command shall overhaul its crime prevention machinery with community policing as the pillar of this strategy,” he assured.
He also said that the command has already set the ball rolling and took proactive measures to stem the rising crimes in the state through round-the-clock patrol, constant raids on identified criminal hideouts and black spots, surveillance, foot and vehicular patrols, regular stop and search, intelligence gathering, and above all stakeholder’s engagements to address crimes in their localities.
According to him, “this is a clarion call to all officers and men of the Command to brace up for the task ahead. My advice to all criminal gangs especially in the metro is to choose the path of peace and embrace the state government’s skill acquisition programs so that they can be useful to the society and contribute their quota towards the development of the state.”
The CP also assured that the existing inter-agency collaboration, respect for the rule of law and fundamental human rights will be strengthened just as he appreciated the ongoing synergy with other sister security agencies to make the state safe and urged them to maintain the collaboration.
He also acknowledged the immense support of the Gombe State Government under the leadership of the Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his support to the NPF in the state without which it will be very difficult for us to operate smoothly.
He therefore appealed to the Governor not to relent in his support for the police force in the state in the areas of patrol vehicles and other logistics to enhance our operational capacity.
The CP further appreciated the royal fathers, eminent persons and the entire citizens of the state for their usual support and cooperation for the peace we are enjoying in the state, imploring them to do more as security is everyone’s business.
He also commended religious leaders for the roles they are playing through preachings and sermons which contributed a lot in maintaining the level of peace in the state just as he thanked community leaders including business communities, PCRC, and unions for their support for the police and I urge them not to relent.
“Our vigilantes and hunters are critical stakeholders in our fight against crime in the state and I appreciate their courage and resilience in the fight against crime and promoting peaceful coexistence. I urge for more collaboration between us,” he added.
He then assured law-abiding citizens in the state that the command under his watch would work assiduously and continue to make Gombe state maintain its record as the most peaceful in the country.
He added “It is also pertinent to emphasize here that the safety and security of lives and property in the state will not be possible without the cooperation of the members of the public in respective of their status. I want to solicit the support and understanding of the members of the media in the resolve of the Police Command to make Gombe State safer for all and sundry.”
Hayatu Usman then encouraged well-meaning members of the public in Gombe State to report any suspicious person(s) or movement(s) to the nearest Police Station or through the Command’s emergency number- 08150567771 or PCB Desk 09165472923 for prompt action.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then