From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), in charge of Zone 17, comprising Ondo and Ekiti States, Mr Adebowale Williams, has urged officers and men of the Ekiti State Police Command to always respond to distress calls from members of the public.
The Zone 17 helmsman who noted that everybody is important and that the police cannot do it alone, charged the officers to build strong partnership with the people in the various communities for intelligence gathering, to prevent crime and ensure a safe and secure environment.
Describing security as a joint task, he
advised the officers of the command to always maintain good relationship with other sister security agencies to reduce crimes to the lowest level and safeguard the lives and property of the people of the state.
The AIG made the remarks in Ado-Ekiti, capital of Ekiti State, on Thursday, as part of his familiarisation visit to the state where he urged the officers to always display high degree of maturity by respecting the fundamental rights of members of the public irrespective of their backgrounds.
” Your commitment to the principles of fairness and justice is fundamental to earning and maintaining the trust and confidence of the communities you serve.
” Upholding the fundamental rights of all individuals regardless of their backgrounds is essential in fostering a harmonious and secure society.
” I urge you to embrace the principles of community policing, engaging with the communities you serve and working collaboratively with them to address their concerns and ensure safety.
” Building strong partnership with the public is indispensable in preventing crimes and maintaining peace and order.
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun, one of his strategies, as a matter of fact, the key strategy is community policing to improve intelligence coming from the down to top and ensuring that we respond promptly to address security challenges facing the people in whichever community you find yourselves. it is a big one and it is the best way to go about policing.
” I am aware that law enforcement is not without its challenges and I assure you that the leadership of the police force headed by the IGP is committed to supporting you in every way. As you have noticed, everywhere there is a problem involving a policeman, before you know it the IGP will be there to identify with that officer and make him understand that he is not alone. You are not alone, so you should do your best always.”
The Police Chief reiterated the readiness of the the Inspector General of Police to prioritize the welfare of the officers of the command and make their duties easier.
” The IGP is determined to improve your welfare, training and working tools to make your duties easier to perform and more effectively and safely.”
He charged officers of the command to eschew corrupt practices and always be dedicated to their duties.
” On your part, you should eschew corrupt practices, extortion, all acts of indiscipline and be professional, dedicated and be effective in the discharge of your duties.”
Earlier in his speech, the Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Dare Ogundare, described Ekiti State as the most peaceful state in the country.
He pledged the continuous readiness of the command to safeguarding the lives and property of residents of the state and make Ekiti unsafe for criminals.
The Commissioner lamented over what he called incessant transfer and shortage of police officers serving in Ekiti, used the occasion to solicit for the deployment of more personnel to the command.
He promised that the command under his watch will continue to do everything and ensure that crime is reduced to the lowest level.
The event which held at the Okesa Police Station Officers Mess, Ado-Ekiti, was attended by Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) from the 27 Divisions in the State, members of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) men of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Hunters Association of Nigeria, Student Union among others.