Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and the acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, have posited that effective policing requires muti-faceted approach due to the myriads of security challenges currently confronting the nation.
Makinde, while recieving the IGP, who was on a courtesy visit to his office on Tuesday at the Executive Council Chambers, Secretariat, Ibadan, observed that insecurity in the country is a snake on the roof of a building that cannot be ignored.
Represented by his deputy, Bayo Lawal, the governor called for collaboration to provide common solutions to the security problem, also saying: “community, state and neighbourhood policing is the way to go.”
According to him: “State police can exist side by side with the federal police as being done in other parts of the world. Our primary role is to provide security for our people and we shall do that with all sense of responsibility.”
Makinde, who expressed support for state police, noted that: “the advantages of community policing far outweigh the fear we have against it. There cannot be development without peace.”
“Insecurity has created palpable fear in the minds of the people. We hold it a duty to reconfigure our security architecture. We are set to harness the potential of security agencies to rid the region of insecurity,” Makinde said.
Earlier, the IGP, Egbetokun said his visit to the governor was to appreciate and thank him for the support and cooperation the Oyo State Command of the police enjoys from him and pleaded for the continuation of the good gesture, noting that the new vision of the Nigeria Police of community policing even demands for more from the governors as the tier of government.
He remarked that the state is very strategic when the issue of security is concerned because of its location and antecedents and the topmost hierarchy of the Force always engages in thorough search for the officer to be assigned as the helmsman of the Command in the state.
The IGP further explained that the new vision of the Force would be service driven, compliance with the rule of law, people friendly, adequate response to crime occurrence, to improve community and take the Force to the next level.
He also said, his administration will partner with all relevant stakeholders at all levels, including community leaders to ensure that all parts of the country are well secured.
Egbetokun highlighted of the policing vision which include: “upholding the sanctity of the legal framework of the Nigeria Police Force, tackling the menace of crimes and criminality with the establishment of a specialized Quick Intervention Squad comprising combat ready Police Mobile Force personnel with effective and enhanced training in crisis de-escalation and violent crime reduction strategies, leveraging cutting-edge tools, data analytics, and intelligence networks for a robust and effective human and technical intelligence gathering process to enhance Police capacity, and strengthened inter-agency collaboration.”
Similarly, the IGP said, the new Policing Vision will focus on enhancing the Police training curriculum with special focus on attitudinal and behavioural changes, improved welfare and resuscitating the Police Officer Support Unit (POSU) of the Police Medical Services to serve as confidential support and counseling facility for all police officers, implementing a new Recognition and Reward system to better motivate and encourage our dedicated personnel, and community policing, through a more vibrant engagement of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), and the establishment of a Citizens Engagement Focus Group.
