Olayinka Ilori/
New battle lines were drawn with criminals in Ondo, Oyo, and Osun states today as the police commenced intensive stop and search with aggressive vehicular patrol in line with the directives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu.
The announcement was made today during a tour of Ondo State by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone XI, Mr Leye Oyebade, who said that he had also created Social Media platforms to better engage the public in Intelligence Gathering.
Addressing officers in Ondo, Oyebade insisted on effective and quality service delivery from the police.
He said, “You must intensify visibility policing through intensive stop and search, aggressive vehicular patrol, and use of the technical platform to address heinous crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, cattle rustling, rape, burglary, cultism, etc so that we can keep the society safer and more secure.”
He urged officers to focus on problem-solving, community partnership and organizational transformation which are essentials of community policing.
Oyebade said, “As you are aware, community policing is part of the policy thrust of the administration of the Inspector-General of Police, and we must collectively imbibe and encourage the practice of community policing as a tool for effective, quality service delivery. The emphasis here must include intelligence gathering, interagency collaboration and public partnership. Officers and men must, therefore, acquaint themselves with the general environments of where they are deployed to serve – These include the topography, culture, moral values of such communities.
“As police officers, you must strive vigorously to carry out your constitutional duties as contained in section 4 of the Police Act bearing in mind principles and values of community policing. You must, therefore, reassure the populace, allay their fears and win the confidence of the people.”
He also urged the officers not to distance themselves from strategic stakeholders.
He added, “I am glad to inform you that the Inspector-General of Police has graciously approved the establishment of the Zonal Security Stakeholders’ Forum which will consist critical stakeholders such as representatives of the Governors of the three States in the Zone, the leadership of the PCRC in the Commands, traditional rulers, community leaders, the media, religious leaders, trade union leaders, students union leaders, leadership of the transport unions, market leaders and other relevant segments of the society.
“The Forum, which has since been inaugurated, is expected to change the face of policing in the Zone. The adoption of the Forum will encourage proactive/preventive policing rather than the traditional reactive policing. It will also enhance quick response to distress calls. As part of our strategies to make the Stakeholders Forum successful, we have crime-mapped the Zone to indicate which crime is prevalent and where to enable develop the appropriate strategies to nip such in the bud.
“Conscious of the need for the public to share information for effective policing, we have given out Control Room numbers of the three Commands, as well as the dedicated number of the Zone to members of the public. The public can also share information through the Facebook and WhatsApp platforms recently created for the Zone.
“While discharging your duties, you must eschew all forms of corrupt practices. This is because as you are aware, the Force has zero tolerance for corruption. The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police are concerned about your welfare hence you must not do anything that could embarrass them.
“You will continue to earn your salaries and allowances, enjoy your promotion as and when due even as the IGP is doing all within his power to better your lot and address challenges currently facing the Force. The only way to reciprocate this kind gesture is to redouble your efforts, be patriotic, and contribute your quota to the security of this great country.”
