Crime Fighting: AIG Oyebade Shares Success Secrets …Releases Emergency Numbers

Matilda Omonaiye/

The police at Zone XI, covering Oyo, Osun, and Ondo states have ascribed the successes recorded in crime-fighting this year to the launch of Operation Puff Adder by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu and the robust relationship and partnership with members of the public.

Speaking at the End-of-the-Year press briefing at Zone XI Command Headquarters, Osogbo, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Adeleye Oyebade, disclosed that members of the public, particularly strategic partners made significant contributions to the success story being told.

He said, “The Operation Puff Adder put in place in April as another punching arm of the Force has helped to dislodge criminal elements in the states. As part of public engagement, we also inaugurated with the approval of the IGP, the Zonal Security Stakeholders’ Forum which serves as a platform for members of the public to participate in deciding policing priorities and in other discussions bordering on their security.

“We realize the importance of partnership as a veritable, sustainable tool of community policing. Therefore to further bring policing closer to the people, several police facilities were upgraded while additional ones were built with the support of the people. These facilities include Opete Police Station, Ilora Police station, Awe Police Station, Ilero Police Station and Ifewara Police Station which were upgraded to police divisions. Similarly, facilities such as Ijebu-Jesa and a few others were renovated while a state- of-the-art Police Station was built by the spirited, security-loving members of the public and was subsequently commissioned.

“Our renewed vigour and strategies have continued to yield tremendous and unprecedented successes in form of the arrest of a plethora of armed robbery suspects, kidnap suspects, suspected ritualists, rapists as well as leading to the recovery of a cache of arms and ammunition within the period under review. The modest, commendable achievements as showcased severally by the media have attracted commensurate applause from the public. We must, however, not fail to mention and appreciate members of the public particularly our strategic partners who in one way or the other contributed significantly to the success story we are telling today.

“In order to consolidate these laudable achievements, therefore, the State commissioners of Police have been charged to further curtail activities of hoodlums in their respective States while we provide a purposeful, visionary coordination and effective supervision to enable them to achieve the lofty objectives of providing safe and secure environment conducive for celebration before, during and after the forthcoming Christmas and Yuletide festivals.”

Oyebade explained that the press briefing which appraised the activities of the police at Zone XI was in consonance with “our age-long tradition of giving feedback to the public who we are committed to serving”.

Hoping to reposition the three Commands towards bridging identified lacuna and thereby improving security throughout the zone, Oyebade said, “Looking back in retrospect, we can say without equivocation and without sounding immodest that the Zone has met the expectations of the public in terms of security, granted that there were few areas of challenges that require attention.”

He added, “As expected, the last few months have been quite challenging. Challenging in the sense that there were security breaches which paved the way for criminal elements to carry out some nefarious activities such as kidnapping, armed robbery and sundry crimes. Although this cannot be ruled out in any human society as no such community is immune to crime, however, it behoves on us as a responsible, security-providing organization to reduce to the barest minimum incidence of such crimes. Realizing this and in determination to address such challenges head-on, the Zone put the three commands on their toes while providing the needed direction. To surmount the challenges, therefore, we immediately evolved new but robust strategies to checkmate activities of men of the underworld. With the support of the Inspector-General of Police, having successfully crime-mapped the entire Zone, we promptly deployed additional manpower to identified flashpoints and other notorious areas in the three states.”

Oyebade also disclosed that personnel deployed to various highways, and other areas to provide visibility policing through stop and search and vehicle patrols “have been properly briefed and directed to carry out such important duty diligently, professionally in conformity with the Police Act and Regulations and other extant laws while also respecting the fundamental rights of the citizens”.

He expressed his confidence in the Commissioners of Police and their ability to provide adequate security in their respective Areas of Responsibilities.

“What they do require and urgently too, is the cooperation and collaboration of the public in form of credible information that could nip crimes in the bud and that could lead to arrest of more criminal elements who are still hibernating in various criminal hideouts while planning to execute another despicable, injurious, sinister plans to unleash terror on innocent and law-abiding citizens,” he said.

While wishing members of the public fruitful celebrations, Oyebade gave assurances that the police in the Zone would continue to place a premium on their safety and security before, during, or after the festive seasons.

In case of any security breach, he urged citizens to call the following emergency numbers of the Control Rooms: Ondo – 07034313903, Osun-08039537995, 08123823981, 08075872433; Oyo – 08081768614, 07055495413 or the Zonal Dedicated line – 09055495413 (for SMS only).

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