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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
A retired Inspector General of Police, Dr. Solomon Arase, an advocate of Community Policing, yesterday, through Solomon Arase Foundation, matched words with actions by donating items to improve security in the seven Ĺocal Government Areas of Edo South Senatorial District.
Announcing the donation at the maiden Annual Lecture series/scholarship awards of the Foundation with the theme “Citizens Inclusion in Security Management: Edo State Model”, Arase stated that studies have shown that criminals thrive and state security remains perpetually threatened in a state where there is a deep gulf between policing agencies on the one hand and the citizens on the other hand.
He contended that “Therefore, there must come a time in the life of a state when all the citizens must of necessity resolve to frankly engage with their law enforcement agencies and build a strong synergy in order to defeat a common enemy. For us as a people of Edo State, there is no other auspicious time for this than NOW!
“Our gathering here today, is therefore, a clear and loud statement that the Edo people and their law enforcement agencies are now determined to close up the gulf that weakens our common resolve, forge a united front, and advance hand in hand as true patriots to confront the criminal elements that have been feasting our hitherto disunited relationship.
“The core objective is to challenge the citizens on their roles within the security system and encourage the spirit of police-community partnership, as a strategy towards addressing crimes such as terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, farmers/herders’ conflict and other crimes”.
The ex-number one Policeman explained that the nation’s revered traditional institutions were known to be strong social control actors who have been deploying their grass-roots reach and time-tested cultural frameworks for information collection and dissemination, crime detection, and dispute resolution at community level, adding that their strong knowledge of history, culture, norms and customary practices as well as their reverence by their subjects are vital assets that could be tapped into to engender community driven policing and address local and national crime and security challenges.
“This citizens-driven internal security
model, where youths with different components of the local community, volunteer to complement the state by forming themselves into Vigilante/Hunters Association and Community Defence Bodies to protect their communities from attacks have proved effective. The strength of these groups lies not in the sophistication of their firearms, training or pecuniary benefits, but in their exemplary courage, passion for their communities and advantage of full understanding of the topography of their community”, he added.
Arase stressed that the security model has proven to be potent and effective as exemplified by the Amalgamated Afemai Forum (Oduma Squad) and the Esan variant of Atanakpa and “appealed to our brothers and sisters to be gracious enough to support our community defence bodies in the protection of our homeland”.
The items donated by the Foundation included a Sienna salon car, 500 motorcycles,1,400 customised T-shirts,
1,400 customised fez caps, 1,400 whistles, Raincoats- and Touch lights.
The former Inspector General of Police while disclosing that some of the items were provided by his friends and associates, said “We will still need to support these defence bodies by the procurements of relevant items such as
Walkie talkies, Cell phones, Denim trousers, Canvas/boots and Stipends for operatives”.
He advised the recipients of the kits and accoutrements to judiciously applied to them to benefit communities and not deployed them for personal uses.
The Solomon Arase Foundation at the event which coincided with former IGP’s 66th birthday, also awarded nine scholarships to University undergraduates from Edo South. Eight of the scholarships were for Medicine while one was for Law. The scholarships worth N100, 000 each is to enable the students pay school fees.
Speaking at the event, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, thanked Arase for his leadership and the support he has given him, though he was not one of the wealthy retired officers, he is rich in spirit.
He said the greatest lesson to learn from the scholarship awards is that everyone should go back and start doing something to assist the les privileged
