DIG ABIODUN ALABI: ‘POLICE CANNOT SUCCEED WITHOUT THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY’ AS IGP EGBETOKUN DIRECTS ESTABLISHMENT OF CITIZENS ENGAGEMENT FOCUS GROUPS • Rev. Sam Adeyemi joins Ayo Ogunsan as Patrons of PCRC in Lagos
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: Board Member, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Dr Ayo Ogunsan; Commissioner of Police, CP Force CID Alagbon Annex, CP Patrick Atayero representing DIG Force CID, DIG Abiodun Alabi; Secretary to the State Government, Lagos State, Mrs Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin; National Chairman, PCRC, Alh Mogaji Ibrahim Olaniyan and Deputy Commissioner of Police, DC State CID Panti, DCP Waheed Ayilara during the 7th biennial conference of PCRC Lagos State.
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Southwest, DIG Sylvester Abiodun Alabi yesterday rehashed the call of the Nigeria Police Force for community participation and engagement in its pursuit for the preservation of law, order and internal security in Nigeria. DIG Alabi made the passionate appeal during the 7th biennial conference of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Lagos State Command which held at the Daystar Christian Centre, Oregun, Lagos, Trek Africa Newspaper can report.
CP Patrick Atayero
The well-attended conference also had the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mrs. Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin; AIG in charge of Zone 2, AIG Mohammed Ari Ali; the acting CP of Lagos, DCP Waheed Ayilara; Board Member of Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Dr Ayo Ogunsan; DCP Tijani Fatai; Squadron Commander of MOPOL 20, ACP Bayo Suleiman; Squadron Commander of MOPOL 2, ACP Ola Jide Agboola; DPO of Alausa Division, CSP Elizabeth Oluwatoyin Opadola; and Lagos Police PRO, SP Benjamin Hundeyin. Others are the National Chairman of PCRC, Alhaji Olaniyan; the host and Chairman of PCRC in Lagos State, Apostle Kehinde Showemimo, and several other dignitaries. During the conference, the Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Rev. Sam Adeyemi who joined virtually was named as Patron of PCRC Lagos alongside LSSTF board member, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan.
In his keynote address ably represented by CP Force CID Alagbon Annex, CP Patrick Atayero, DIG Sylvester Abiodun Alabi established: ‘The truth of the matter is that the Police cannot succeed without the involvement of the community it seeks to police, this truism apply the world over. No matter how well equipped and motivated a police force is, if its unable to secure the support and cooperation of the populace, it is doomed to fail in the discharge of its statutory duties and responsibilities, this singular fact lies behind the success of police organization in the advanced climes across the globe where the relationship between the police and populace is based on trust and the police enjoys tremendous goodwill and the respect of the people they serve.’
‘Crime and criminality are getting more and more complex, criminals are always adopting new methods and adapting advanced techniques and sophistication to perpetrate their ignoble deeds, the challenge of the Police therefore is to stay ahead of the curve in order to ensure the protection of the general populace from the nefarious activities of these undesirable elements. A major step forward is the active cultivation of the support, cooperation and collaboration of every law-abiding citizen. This is critical if the police must succeed in the prevention and detection of crime, the people must be involved in their own policing as stakeholders in ensuring peace and tranquillity of their communities.’
‘Citizens must imbibe the motto of ‘if you see something, say something’ be their brothers’ keepers, and be prompt to report any suspicious activity observed in their immediate neighborhood and vicinity’, Trek Africa Newspaper gathered as he called the citizens to continue to stand with the Nigeria Police Force through support and collaboration.
In the address themed Community Safety Partnership in Nigeria: Prospect and Challenges, DIG Alabi noted that the Citizens Engagement Focus Groups may soon be established in line with the vision of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun for effective community participation in policing and security. Trek Africa Newspaper gathered that the IGP affirmed in his maiden speech to strategic police managers as Nigeria’s no. 1 police officer that he has the ‘vision of having a Police Force that is professionally competent, service driven, rule of law compliant and people friendly.’
Senior Pastor, Daystar Christian Centre, Pastor Sam Adeyemi speaking at the conference virtually.
‘IGP charged the strategic police managers not to forget that at the heart of the policing is the people that are policed, and hence the police must endeavor to be the compassionate face of law enforcement, being mindful of the effect that police actions have on individuals and communities. He enjoined officers to build bridges of trust with the people they serve, with a clear understanding that their success hinges primarily on the degree of support and cooperation they receive from the community’, Alabi said.
‘The IGP has also directed a refocusing on the core principles of community policing, through a more vibrant engagement of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), and the establishment of Citizens Engagement Focus Groups as key corner stones of policing strategy going forward. The Police must forge partnerships with citizens, civil society organizations and community leaders at various levels as partners in progress to collectively tackle the security and law enforcement challenges, we face as a nation and in our various communities’, Trek Africa Newspaper can report from the speech of DIG Abiodun Alabi.
The Lagos SSG, Mrs. Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin added: ‘This is a very important engagement. We appreciate what the PCRC is doing in Lagos. Government care about security in Lagos. Government wants Lagosians to be safe. Government will do everything to ensure that everybody is safe. This is why under oue THEMES+ Agenda, S stands for security and Mr. Governor takes it as top priority.’
Lending his voice to community engagement in policing, the AIG in charge of Zone 2 (Lagos and Ogun), AIG Mohammed Ari Ali told Trek Africa Newspaper, ‘Crime fighting is everybody’s business. It is only when we are together that we can have a safer and united Lagos. I do say that 60% of crime fighting belongs to the public and 40% to the police because criminals live with them and they know the criminals. The 40% to us is to ensure that we proactively use whatever information that is given to us to nip crime and criminality in the bud.’
