Fully implementing community policing solution to nation’s security challenges ― IGP

Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde (right) and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Research and Planning, Leye Oyebade during the Inauguration of Oyo State Community Policing Advisory Committee held at Government House, Ibadan. PHOTO: Oyo State Government.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has identified the full implementation of community policing as critical to addressing farmers/herdsmen clashes, killings, kidnapping, insurgency, armed robbery and other security challenges confronting the nation.

Acknowledging that the police and other security agencies alone cannot combat crimes and criminalities in the country, Adamu said the trend of policing being adopted in the country was for all Nigerians to partner and collaborate with the security agencies.

Adamu, represented by Deputy Inspector of Police, Department of Research and Planning, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Leye Oyebade, identified this imperative when Governor Seyi Makinde inaugurated the Oyo State Community Policing Advisory Committee, on Friday.

With full implementation of community policing across states, Adamu said there will be reliance on public partnership, intelligence gathering and inter/multi-agency collaboration to mitigate the security challenges currently confronting the nation.

Noting that activities of the committees will be cascaded down to localities, he charged members of the various community policing committees to work with vigilantes, hunters, locals to aid with intelligence gathering and arresting criminals.

He stressed that the police, by adopting community policing, was driven by a genuine mission to “provide safety and security in Nigerian communities, protect and respect human rights and promote community partnership in preventing and controlling social order.”

“It is envisioned that the full implementation of the community policing will help address or mitigate the security challenges currently confronting us as a nation.

“You will have it at the state level, local government level down to the police post where we have our communities.

“We are here today to celebrate ourselves because policing is taking a new dimension. It is changing for better. We are inviting everybody to come on board.

“It is obvious that the present security challenges in some parts of the country have proved reasonably that security certainly cannot be left in the hands of the police and other sister agencies alone.

“We earnestly ask for your support and collaboration. We cannot do it alone.

“The police cannot be everywhere at all times; it is only God that is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscience.

“We need to police with the fear of God and do it diligently. Farmers, fishermen, traders and everyone living in one community or the other should join hands with us.

“Armed robbers live among us. The committee should work with vigilantes, hunters, and those who know the topography, terrain, language, culture of the people. They know the tracks of these criminals,” Adamu said.

Both the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the state Commissioner for Police, Nwachukwu Enwonwu are to serve as co-chairmen of the Oyo State Community Policing Advisory Committee.

The committee also comprises the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji; the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi; the Seriki Shasha, Alhaji Haruna Katsina; heads of security agencies, one representative from each of the three senatorial districts in the state, a representative each from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the National Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Police Complaints Relations Committee (PCRC).

Other committees to be subsequently set up are the state community policing committee, area command community policing advisory committee, local government community policy advisory committee and the divisional committee policing committee.

Recruitment, training and kitting of special constables are to follow the implementation of the committees.
Inaugurating the committee, Governor Seyi Makinde assured that the state was committed to making community policing work.

Makinde noted that community policing was a proven option in arresting crimes even while they are simmering.

Noting that the state had in recent weeks grappled with killings in Akinyele local government area of the state, Makinde said community policing was crucial to rooting out such and totalling decimating the notorious Ibadan cult known as “One million boys”.

He urged the committee to be fair to the people, respect human rights and serve the interest of communities.
In accepting the task, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi assured that the committee will live up to the expectation of stemming the tide of insecurity in the state.

He emphasized that involvement of all and sundry was the way to go in finding a solution to security challenges in the country.

He avowed satisfaction that members of the committee were aware of their responsibilities, hence would be spurred to put in their best to justify their selection.

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