•Minister seeks local security intervention
By Christopher Oji
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday urged the police high command to provide officers with smartphones and other mordern gadgets to function effectively .the Governor who highlighted the effectiveness of modern policing, said when the police are well equipped and their welfare are taken care of, they would function very well.
The Governor, who was speaking at a Security Town Hall Meeting organized by the Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman- Ibrahim, with the theme,“Community policing: Building a safer Nigeria together” held at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria island,said,the police should be well equipped with merdern technology to perform effectively well.
He said, “when they are equipped with smartphones, they can also be recording whenever people are recording them, so that it can be easy for them to show their own side of evidence to the people through their recording.
In her opening remarks, the Minister emphasized the importance of recognizing local security dynamics and fostering community-specific solutions.
She said,“this Town Hall meeting is therefore the first in an extensive series of Town Hall engagements across the Country, to catalyse grassroots understanding of security dynamics and foster community-specific solutions. Recognising that security is inherently local, our approach must reflect an appreciation for the distinct characteristics, challenges, and strengths of each community.
“Local security interventions must, therefore, be designed based on local peculiarities and considerations, with the full participation of members of the various communities and blocks, to ensure inclusivity and full ownership. For instance, some communities are experiencing security challenges relating to a very high influx of other nationals; others are struggling with insecurity relating to rapid urbanization, while some are struggling with insecurity triggered by resource control and the agrarian nature of their environment, amongst other.
“In my role as the Minister of State Police Affairs, I have made a commitment to supporting efforts aimed at delivering viable solutions to tackle the complex issues that have limited the capability of the Nigeria Police Force, and I invite you all to join us with a renewed hope, as we rebuild trust, restore confidence and redefine policing in the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
Also speaking, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Ekundayo said the Town hall Security Meeting will aid the Force in leveraging on Community Policing principles and practices towards building partnerships that will strengthen policing strategies in a manner that will guarantee a safer Nigeria in line with Mr. President’s Internal Security Agenda and as envisioned by the Honourable Minister.
He said the forum has the potential of advancing the virtues of police – public accountability on one hand, while on the other hand, provides a unique opportunity for the Force leadership to engage the citizens, feel their pulse on security and safety concerns, and integrate them into the process of evolving pathways towards addressing their security and community safety concerns.
“As often said, the citizens remain the most important asset in law enforcement and the more accountable we are to them, the more the trust engendered, partnership strengthened, and community safety guaranteed. In convening this meeting, I hold the firm professional conviction that the Honourable Minister recognizes that the best policing strategy is one that is founded on the principle of inclusivity, trust, public consent, collaboration and bridging of the gap between the Police and the citizens for optimal and cost-effective law enforcement service delivery” he added.