Need for community policing in Lagos villages

The police in Lagos tried its best to tackle criminalities in all fronts before, during and after the Christmas and New Year celebrations. You have every right under the sun to agree or disagree with me here. It is kudos to the 23,000 police workforce in the state.

Yes, the immediate past and present governors of Lagos State have empowered the police so much that they have no reason whatsoever not to deliver. But, you and I know that criminals all over the world are always on the upbeat and are ever creative. When the police take one step, criminals who are determined to reap from where that did not sow are most likely to take five or more steps.

Media and other reports during the festivities showed that Lagos, with an estimated population of 23,000 people, was not 100 per cent crime-free. No state in Nigeria or any nation is 100 per cent crime-free at any point in time.

I observe that the Lagos police command, like other commands in Nigeria, is preaching the gospel of community policing. Places like Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu, Egan, Makoko, Ijegun and other rural areas in Lagos are said to be under-policed.

Yes, the terrains in these villages are difficult, but with the empowerment from the Lagos State Security Trust Fund backup, reports of police extortions, issues of quick response to distress calls, etc could be tackled

Yes, there were heavy and visible police presence in urban areas in Lagos like Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki, Ikeja, Maryland and others, this should also be extended to rural communities in Lagos.

Emmanuel Udom

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