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Brown Chimezie
Igboburotu, an Igbo socio-cultural group, recently refitted and refurbished police patrol vehicles in Isheri Division and Area M, Egbeda Idimu Command, in Lagos.
According to Chief Chika Nwokedi, president of the association, the group embarked on the project to encourage the police in combatting crime in the area.
“When I visited the station, I noticed that only a few police vans were in good shape. So, I asked if my association could repair the vehicle and they said yes. We went ahead and bought engines, tyres and other accessories for the vans. At the end of the day, the vehicles became operational and we handed them over to the police units.
“Today, it gives me joy to see the police vehicles with the name of my association on them. Igboburotu is glad to identify with the police in carrying out its constitutional duty. It gives me joy when I see the name of my association boldly branded on the patrol vans,” he said.
Besides refurbishing police vehicles, Igboburotu also recently painted the Ladipo Police Station. Chief Nwokedi said the fresh paint has given the building a facelift, as men and women of the police serving in the unit can now operate in a clean environment.
But why is the group so interested in police welfare? Nwokwdi said: “Day and night, these men and women lay down their lives so that we may live, and as such it make sense when, through one way or the other, we encourage them.
“Not long ago, we also gave tyres to police units in Ojo, Alagbon, Ikotun and Ikeja. So, I am calling on Nigerians who are well-to-do to extend help to the police, as the Federal Government cannot do it alone.”
The Igboburotu president recalled that, during a trip to Orlu, in Imo State, he encountered a police patrol team pushing their van. When he asked them the reason for such an embarrassing situation, the policemen said the battery of their van was bad. Nwokedi said he immediately replaced the battery as well as changed the worn-out tyres.
“The DPO later called to commend me for my effort. Among the police, you have bad eggs and good ones. We must not, because of the few bad examples, refuse to render assistance to the police,” he said.
Nwokedi noted that his association has also bought printers, stationery and computer accessories for the Ikeja Police Division and the Police Training College, Ikeja. He added that Igboburotu would be organising an award ceremony for the police, to hold in December, to reward more than 60 members of the police force from different formations across the state.
“When we handed over the vehicles to the area commander, he was happy and explained that he had never seen this type of magnanimity before. He called on the public to learn from us by patnering with the police to fight crime.”
On how members of the association felt rendering such selfless service to the police, He said members of the association were quite happy rendering such support to the police.
