Matilda Omonaiye/
Commissioner of Police (CP), Leye Oyebade, switched the tracks today for a new direction as he held his first lecture at the Railway Police Command Headquarters in Lagos.
Oyebade, who was received by jubilant officers led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vincent Brown, taught the policemen how to excel in life and their duties by policing with the fear of God and following the directives of the Inspector-General of Police to the letter.
“The fundamental of policing is protection of lives and property,” he said. “The police work is divine. You can’t do it without God. My concept is Policing with the Fear of God.” He decried the habit of people riding on the rooftop of trains and ordered his men to stop the practice, which he described as an eyesore and dangerous act.
Oyebade spoke about the benefits of the IGP’s Eminent Persons Group and Community Policing project to crime fighters and stressed the need for policemen at the railway command to key into government’s vision as efforts are on to develop the rail system. “We’ll take the Railway Command to a new level,” he said. “We must be fair, firm, and professional. Follow all the tenets, zero tolerance for corruption; adopt the 3Hs – Honesty, Hard-work, and Humility. If policemen are honest, people will respect them. “We need attitudinal change. Proper planning prevents poor performance. We must involve the community members in policing our areas and DPOs must publicise their numbers; circulate it.”
He urged the policemen not to detain suspects without charge for more than 24 hours, adding that suspects must have access to lawyers and Medicare. He said that the authorities would train policemen to handle rifles better, as he warned them that there should be no accidental discharge.
Oyebade expressed appreciation for the work of his predecessor, CP Anthony Michael Ogbizi, who has now replaced him in Abia State Command. He also told the policemen about the IGP’s housing project and the efforts he has been making in terms of their welfare. He then cautioned them about their way of life, stressing the need for them to be psychologically balanced and physically fit. Praying that the officers would not die prematurely, Oyebade said: “Take care of your family; take care of your health. Always check your BP. We are going to engage in sports here and we are going to set up a Police Officers Mess.”
During the lecture, Oyebade observed a minute’s silence for a late colleague, CP Bolaji Odesanya, as he talked about sterling qualities that officers must have. He also told them about former IGP MD Abubakar who never left a place without making an impact.
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