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An Energy firm, Solewant Group, has donated a police outpost to the Nigeria Police Force in Alode, Elemé, Rivers State, as part of its efforts to enhance security in the community.
The outpost, located at the Solewant Industrial Park in Alode, Elemé, is expected to enhance security awareness, improve response times, and strengthen soft targets in the community, as well as bring law enforcement closer to the community and promote peace and security in the area.
Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Solewant Group, Solomon Ewanehi, made the donation on behalf of the company, citing the need to support the police in their efforts to combat crime in the state.
Ewanehi noted that crime is a persistent issue, but with collective efforts, it can be prevented and reduced.
According to him, Nigeria is witnessing a significant increase in crime rates, with statistics indicating a rise in banditry, kidnapping, and robbery.
He cited a survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which documented approximately 51.89 million crime incidents in Nigerian households from May 2023 to April 2024.
However, Ewanehi expressed hope that with commitment and the right approach, the crime rate can be lowered.
He noted that there was a reduction in violence-related deaths in 2023, dropping from 15,493 in 2022 to 11,794, and emphasized the need for collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the community to tackle crime.
The MD also acknowledged the dedication of law enforcement officers, saying that not all police officers are the same, and that there are plenty of dedicated officers whose integrity inspires positive action against crime.
“If you look at in and out of the area you will see Industries springing up from what we have here. And it is very important that we collaborate and partner with the Nigerian Police to be able to do our our work, to live in our community safely and to ensure that all that we are doing is at the heart of the business.”
Ewanehi called on the community to play their part in enhancing security, saying that they cannot rely solely on the police and security personnel manning the industrial park.
He urged community members to be their neighbour’s keeper, speak up, and perform citizen’s arrest where necessary.
“And we are also committed as member of Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria(PETAN) that we need to support the administration of President Bola Tinubu, who has given us the task to increase the production of crude oil and for us to work safely, the Nigerian Police Force has been assisting but with this, I think they go a bit further to be able to assist them, so we are not just donating the building, we are equally providing, power, water, we are assisting them in anyway that we know we can to assist the Nigerian Police Force.
“We thank the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun who approved that we should build this police Outpost on the 27th of March this year and today, to God be the glory we are donating and handover this building to support the good that they are doing.”
Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, commended the firm for donating the police outpost, noting that it will enhance security in the community and boost the morale of residents.
Representing the Commissioner of Police, the Area Commander, ACP Opeyemi Olufunke, Eleme Area Command, urged other organizations to emulate Solewant Group’s example and support the Nigerian Police Force in fighting insecurity.
“We also use this opportunity to inform others to also queue in to what Solewant has done for the Nigerian Police Force in fighting insecurity.”
She also urged residents to embrace the initiative and assist the police in fighting crime and criminality. “My message for them is that they should assist the police in fighting crime and criminality in this area, always feel free to come in and lay any complaints or give important information they have that will help the police serve them well,” she said.
Youth president of Alode, Dickson Igwe, welcomed the development, saying it would do a lot to boost the morale of residents, particularly farmers. “This will boost the morale of our mother’s going to farm because they have assurance of security presence, we want to thank the company, Alode is so proud and happy to have you here,” he said.
