IGP Expresses Satisfaction On Previous Security Summits
To curb the menace of crimes and mitigating its effect, Nigerians have been assured that the police would do all in their power to synergize with other security outfits and the citizenry to fight the scourge.
Speaking Tuesday, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammad Abubakar Adamu, at the South-south Regional Police Security Summit 2019 with the theme: "Strategic Partnership For Effective Community Policing In the South-south Zone", held in Asaba.
"There is no police force anywhere in the world that can achieve its mandate without the community".
He disclosed that the dynamics of crime in the various place where the previous Summits were held was discussed.
He disclosed that amnesty programme be put in place so small arms and other light weapons should be dropped.
"No country can be crime free what is important is that the police must show formidable strength in curbing the menace while the citizens also do their part".
In his address, the host governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, commended the Inspector-General for his vision and tenacity of purpose, saying that events such as this is imperative for formulating a policing policy that is focused, broad based and liberating as against the emotional outburst and mass hysteria that often tend to dominate the national conversation on security.
He said the South-south geo-political zone has had to grapple with multifaceted violent forms of insecurity beginning with the militancy in the creeks, which resulted largely from what our people perceived as years of neglect and non-recognition as an important component of our federation.
The governor of Akwa-Ibom state, Mr. Emmanuel Udom, who was represented by Mr. Fubara Duke, said the platform of community policing as a veritable tool in enhancing policing cannot be overemphasized.
"If you do not put in place the kind of policing that engender the community, you will not have a headway".
He lamented the situation where children are stolen right from their homes, "children who are just 1- year-old are taken from their mothers. And it is causing a whole lot of concern. Akwa-Ibom have also witnessed the killing of farmers by herdsmen".
The governor disclosed that herdsmen do not only destroy farm produce but harvest them to feed their cattle.
He called on the police to take necessary action to curb the menace in the state even as he noted that the police should be neutral in their work.
Governor of Bayelsa state, Dickson Serieke, who was represented by Chief Dr. Omas Sporojak, Special Adviser to the governor on Security, charged participants to take home what experts have spoken at the event.
"We need to assist the police. Community policing is people based", noting that the masses are too far from the police.
Governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki, said the country has gone through challenging experiences.
"We are particularly porus in terms of security. We need quite a lot of policing in the state. A number of high profile kidnapping are done in Edo. We are challenged by himan trafficking, yahoo boys activities and unemployment".
He said community policing should not be discussed whether it should operate, calling on participants to support the idea of community policing, "without data, you cannot control crime", regretting the challenge of funding.
King Jaja of Opopo, called on the governors of the South-south to look into unemployment rate and the educational system.
He said the police should synergize with the traditional rulers, so their work would be made easy, stressing that the police should be trained and retrained for capacity building.
The king of Twon brass, King Alfred Diette-spiff, said the police has done well beyond the shores of Nigeria.
He said the police have shown the progressive form and proactive system of policing, "call a spade a spade. Period!
"The navy should not be in the offshore but the onshore".
Also, the traditional ruler of Owa kingdom and chairman, Delta State traditional Rulers Council, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor, advocated for the return of barracks.
He also stated that the police should be separated from the people so they could do their jobs perfectly, expressing worries over the public discuss on community policing.
He opined that community policing should be liberalized to enable each one police his/herself.