Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed have assured Edo residents of improved security, urging the people to collaborate with the security agencies to combat crime in the state.
Receiving the IGP who was on a working visit to Edo State to inspect the destruction of police facilities following the hijack of #EndSARS protests, Obaseki said the state government will continue to support the police to perform its responsibility of protecting lives and property.
Obaseki said the logic and rationale for community policing will be supported by Edo people, adding that policing should be owned by the community, driven by intelligence gathering and actively supported by the beneficiaries.
The governor also thanked the Police boss “for conducting one of the most credible and peaceful elections in Nigeria by providing security required for the election.”
According to the governor, “It’s unfortunate that the #EndSARS protests degenerated to the extent it did. What happened in Edo State was beyond the protests as hoodlums hijacked the process, broke into correctional facilities and caused destruction of property.
“As a state, we appealed that the jailbreak be properly investigated as we still have many of the inmates at large and want you to help us arrest and get them back to where they escaped from. We will not want them to spend Christmas with us.”
He added: “We have information and enough intelligence about some ring leaders who attacked your facilities in parts of the town. We would not like them to go unpunished. We must not let perpetrators of the destruction go scot-free.”
Obaseki continued: “We have met with your men to boost their morale, assuring them that the people of Edo State will continue to support them and acknowledge their roles and sacrifices in the state.
“I have appealed to your officers to come out to the street as we have information to pick out inmates who are at large to enable us to have safety and security in the State.”
On his part, the IGP noted: “We are calling on the government and people of Edo State to continue to partner with the police on our initiative on community policing. By next week, we should be able to pass out the newly trained community police officers and it will help in policing the community with the cooperation of members of the communities.
“Ours is to cooperate and partner with members of the communities, including the youths of these communities as they will come out and protect their own communities. This is the kind of partnership we want to encourage.”
Adamu commended the governor for his interaction with the men of the Edo State Police Command as it has lifted the spirit of the operatives in ensuring effective policing in the state.
“As officers, we are specially trained to deal with unrest and civil disorders. What happened has not affected our morale but rather motivated us to seek cooperation with the members of the public so we can occupy the public space.
“We are ready to work with the Edo State Government. We can’t operate without the community. We must partner with the community to ensure effective community policing. We must work together, that is why the government has come up with a community policing initiative,” he added.
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