Newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun has vowed to make community policing work as he assumed office at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
He stated this on Wednesday when he officially took over the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force from retired IGP Usman Baba.
Stiff Punishment for Erring Officers
IGP Egbetokun warned police officers that he won’t tolerate abuse of office, corruption and misconduct, saying commensurate stiff punishment await erring officers.
Strategies to Protect Nigerians
The new police boss also said he will, in the coming days and months, unveil his strategies and tactics to secure the country and protect Nigerians from all forms of security challenges including banditry and gunmen attacks.
Salaries for Constables
IGP Egbetokun said the salaries of constables recruited sometimes ago are already being looked into and the salaries, arrears and allowances will be paid by month end.
Human Intelligence for Crime Prevention
According to him, every law-abiding citizen will be brought on board in the fight against crime under his watch. The new police chief stressed that human intelligence garnered from communities would be used alongside technical gathering of information to curb crimes.
Quest for Community Policing
As banditry, vicious herdsmen attacks, killings and abductions increase in Nigeria in the last couple of years, some state government and socio-political groups like the Afenifere and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo had clamoured for community policing to tackle peculiar security challenges in the localities. Prior to the 2023 elections, the groups also called for constitutional review to allow devolution of powers and decentralised policing system.
In 2020, six states in the South-West geopolitical zone jointly formed a regional security operation code-named Operation Amotekun, which has since been backed by law and operational in Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun and Osun states. Also, in 2021, five South-East state governments formed Ebube Agu and the regional security outfit has since been operationalised just as the Benue State Government in 2022 launched the Benue Guards.
Challenges in the Implementation of Community Policing
Acknowledging the challenges in the implementation of the initiative, the new IGP said they would be resolved and community policing is going to work.
IGP Egbetokun said, “On community policing, there is a lot that we are going to do differently in the implementation of the community policing strategies that we are operating presently.
“I discussed that with the retiring IG, my predecessor just before we came here and he told me all the problems we are facing with the implementation of the community policing strategies. We are not going to set it aside, we are going to continue with it but we are going to review a lot of things. We are going to make it work.”
Tiger in Me
On his comment about a tiger and a lion in him ready to devour the internal enemies of Nigeria, the new police boss said, “I said that just to express how very anxious I am to start working and to also convey the message that I am aware that there are enemies that we need to fight together.
“We all need to collaborate together to be able to surmount the security challenges facing our country today. It is going to a collective responsibility. All of us will be involved; everybody will be a policeman. We are going to partner with every group, every law-abiding individual.”
