Osun: Bowen varsity convenes stakeholders’ workshop on crime control management

Bowen University has organised a workshop for stakeholders from Iwo and its environs on crime control management and deliberation on strategic measures to assuage the incidents of criminality.

The workshop/conference, which was held recently through the College of Management and Social Sciences, with the theme: “Enhancing Police – Community Partnership for Crime Control,” drew over 100 participants from grassroots community chiefs and community members.

Other participants included women leaders, association leaders, youth leaders, religious leaders in the community with various security agencies; the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Amotekun, as well as the academia from the university community.

Tribune Online gathered that the participants at the conference deliberated on issues affecting community partnership with the police and other security agencies in crime control management in town.

The conference was also convened to work out modalities for sustainable/enduring ways and strategies for enhancing partnership between the police and the communities in combating crime at the community level among other sensitive issues.

At the end of the exercise, our correspondent learnt that stakeholders were unanimous on ensuring both direct and indirect supportive inputs from the community in the armed forces’ effort to combat crimes, noting that the security agencies cannot do it alone.

The workshop also agreed that community-police partnership is key to an effective way of tackling the problem of crime in communities, stressing the need for community members to see police and other security agencies as bodies established to ensure the security of lives and properties in the communities.

The conference also sought partnership of community members with the security agencies by providing information about crimes and criminals, saying this could not be overemphasized in the fight against criminalities.

The participants affirmed that the problem of crime was beyond what the police and other security agencies could handle alone.

Discussing challenges to community partnership, the workshop declared that the allegations of police corruption and inefficiency, lateness in attending to crimes, and divulging information to suspects were factors inhibit community-police partnership.

The police and other security officials were charged to avoid being high-handed in their dealings with community members, while community members were also encouraged to avoid aiding and abetting criminals, serving as informants to criminals, and harbouring criminals in the communities.

Similarly, landlords were also urged to embrace the “Know-Your-Tenant” principle, as community leaders were advised to do necessary background checks before accommodating and selling properties to strangers.

While the participants commended the university for organizing the workshop, describing it as apt, they appealed to the institution to give more financial and material support for crime control in Iwo town.

The resource persons for the Workshop were Omololu Soyombo (Workshop Coordinator); Professor Lere Amusan; Professor Lai Olurode; and Mr Joseph Akindoyo (Chief Security Officer, Bowen University, Iwo). Others included Mr Alalade Adio (Area Commander, Nigeria Police Force, Iwo); Mr Sunday Osungbure (Divisional Police Officer, Iwo); and Alhaji Fatai Owooniran (Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee).

The Provost of the College of Management and Social Sciences, Professor OlayinkaAdenikinju; Head of Programme for Sociology, Dr. A.A. Akintunde and Dr. Yinka Onayemi were also in attendance.

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