Community Policing Panacea To Insecurity In Nigeria, Say Osinbajo, Ooni
Vice-president Yemi Osinbajo and the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi on Tuesday identified community policing as panacea to the security challenges currently rocking the country.
He described traditional rulers as important component of security architecture in all the communities in Nigeria, adding that there was ongoing consultations among critical stakeholders.
Osinbajo stated this in Osogbo, the Osun State capital after meeting with traditional rulers in the state for consultations over security challenges in the state, and South West region in general.
“We are meeting purposely to understand the security architecture of the region; you know we have already had consultations with state governors from the South West.
“These consultations continued and we are meeting with traditional rulers because they are important component of our security architecture particularly because we are working on community policing.
“Community policing remains one of the method of policing we have adopted and I am sure you heard the Inspector General of Police talking about recruiting police locally from their local governments those who understand the environment the language and the culture of the people they are policing.
“We are confident that this method will work, with these men and women on ground in all the our communities”, Osinbajo said.
Earlier in his welcomed address, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola enumerated measures already taken by his administration towards achieving a secured Osun.
Oyetola who was represented by his deputy, Benedict Alabi said Osun State believed in the measures been taken by the Federal government to tackle the menace.
“The state of Osun believes in the pragmatic approach of the Federal Government to take the nation to the Next Level in the face of the raging economic downturn.
“We shall continue to render our support to ensure that, collectively, we rescue the nation from the present hard times.
“The security and fortune of the State of Osun are the pride of the Federal Government and our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We have proved it that we have the political will and the capacity to deliver security and welfare to our people. We therefore solicit further support from the Federal Government for the peace and security of our people”.
In a chat with newsmen shortly after the meeting, the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi harped on community policing as agreed at the meeting.
He said, “Without community policing, we can’t progress. We as royal fathers, we will work hand in hand with government to ensure security.
“Above all, monitoring of all forest in the region from the air on routine and regular basis. We got commitment from government concerning that. Also, federal government will deploy more security apparatus to South West.
“This will give our subjects, especially those in the diaspora, who are always afraid to come home more confidence in the security of the country.
“We need our people in the diaspora to start coming home. With this, they will also know we have good security measures in place. I am using this medium to appeal to them to come home and assist.
“The vice president, as directed by the president promised us to monitor all the programmes to ensure successful implementation.”
