We won’t breach law in enforcing Ekiti grazing law —New CP

The new Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr Wilson Inalegwu, has said the command will partner with the state government in enforcing the newly enacted grazing law “within the ambit of the law.”

Inalegwu said the Police Act conferred the statutory duty of enforcement of all laws on the police and that the command would be guided by the laws of the federation in enforcing the ‘Ekiti State Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing Act 2016.’

The new police commissioner also warned fraudsters and drug peddlers in the state that his men would make the state uncomfortable for their operations.

The grazing law was enacted by Ayodele Fayose-led administration to checkmate the criminal activities of some herdsmen, who destroy farmlands in parts of the state.

In his maiden interaction with newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, the CP said: “We shall be guided by the law in enforcing anti-grazing law. The Police Act 1990 gives us the power to enforce all laws and this we shall apply in this regard.

“We are going to study the law, look at the provisions in line with what the constitution says. We will also look at the powers of the police to know what to do under this circumstance,” Inalegwu said.

Inalegwu sent a stringent warning to those he described as ‘yahoo boys’  and those peddling Indian hemp at various hot spots in Ado Ekiti like Atinkankan, Ojumose, Oke Ila and other areas to desist or face the wrath of the law.

“I can’t be a Commissioner of Police in a state and people will be defrauding innocent citizens or hawking Indian hemp openly. These are unacceptable and my men shall surely go after them.”

Speaking about the recent bank robbery in Otun Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area, where five persons were shot dead, the police chief assured that the perpetrators would be arrested soon, saying his men are already on their trail.

Inalegwu also gave a matching order to his men to arrest and charge to court those covering their vehicle number plates, adding that “no section of the law permits anybody to cover his number plate, including the president.”

He said his men will soon be stationed at every strategic locations to conduct stop and search on motorists, while “I will also employ static, motorised and foot patrols to deal with criminals, so that those intending to invest in Ekiti can freely come to do so,” he assured.

While appealing to bank chiefs in Ekiti to install CCTVs in their banking halls, Inalegwu also called on the hoteliers operating in the state to keep proper identities of their customers and make such available to the command to help in investigating critical issues bordering on security.