DIG Hails Osun Govt On Security, Infrastructure
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Foluso Adebanjo, has commended the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for his administration’s commitment to the security of lives and property of the citizens and residents of Osun.
Adebanjo, who was accompanied by two Deputy Commissioners of Police in the state for a courtesy call on the Governor at the the Government House in Osogbo commended the efforts of Aregbesola at making the state one of the states with the lowest crime rate in Nigeria.
The visit was part of the DIG’s routine security assessment, evaluation and sensitisation of the officers and men of the State and Zonal Commands of the Nigeria Police Force in the zone on the need to uphold professionalism, efficiency and discipline in the course of duty.
The Police boss also lauded Osun Government for giving the Force necessary support and cooperation in its bid to maintaining laws and order.
Describing Osun as one of the states with lowest crime rate in Nigeria, Adebanjo said the Force has been monitoring the records of the state in the last few years, saying, apart from the atmosphere of peace, the state is witnessing massive development of infrastructure.
He therefore sought for executive support to enhance policing and as well free the state and Nigeria from crime and criminality.
According to him, “Nigeria Police Force is always in support of development. We have seen the developmental strides of Governor Aregbesola’s administration in the state of Osun.
“Let me add to it, Osun has one of the lowest crime rates in Nigeria. We cherish this feat and we know that the tempo would be sustained.
“We have been monitoring events in the state even from Abuja and we know that the state has never relent in its efforts of security consciousness.
“As part of our visit is to appreciate Mr. Governor for being supportive of officers and men of the command just we as we equally commend the good people of Osun for their spirit of cooperation openly demonstrated to Police in the state.
“On our part, we shall continue to live up to expectation of Nigerian people in ensuring a safe atmosphere for all to live. We will not rest on our oars to ensure that our nation is free from crimes of all nature”,.
In his response, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola advocated for the decentralisation of Police through a proper restructuring and reform to ensure effective zonal management, control and operation of the Police organisation in Nigeria.
He said Nigeria has grown beyond a centralised policing, saying the devolution of power must be encouraged in the Nigeria Police Force to strengthen the sector for greater productivity.
He said the restructuring of the police and the devolution of its control would go a long way to foster improvement in the system, promoting moral integrity and discipline in the affairs of all police officers and men.
Aregbesola held that, since police remains a civil security organisation, the decentralisation of the system will increase the efficiency and proficiency of the Nigeria Police.
Aregbesola asserted that the complexity and diverse nature of policing in Nigeria has become worrisome, a thing which he said requires urgent restructuring to promote effective zonal and state’s control of its administration and management.
According to him, “The essence of human urbanisation and socialisation is security. Therefore, it is a duty not only for government but also the people to support security agencies especially the police.
“Since the first obligation and responsibility of government remains security and maintenance of law and order, therefore, it behoves on any serious government to prioritise and guarantee the security of lives and property of the citizenry.
“So, there can be civil service or public service without adequate security just as development lies on the security status of any society. All the social and physical infrastructures on any society could be measured by the level of security therein.
“This justifies that there wouldn’t be any iota of development in an unrest, unsecured, volatile and troubled society. And whenever one want any tangible development, thus , one must accord respect and support to security agencies especially the police.
“It is a duty to support the police, and it is in view of this that I strongly clamour for a restructuring of the Nigeria Police to enhance effectiveness and raise the standard of dedication and high sense of commitment to professional ethics, values and conducts.
“It is a misnomer in a society like Nigeria for Commissioner of Police in a state to be directly answerable to Inspector General of Police in spite the fact that there is zonal Assistant Inspector General of Police in the zone to which such state emanates.
“Ideally, CP should be answerable to zonal commander (AIG), while it the duty of AIG to be responsible to IG. This would sanitise the system and instill the spirit of commitment and dedication into the system.
“There is need to federate Police Force. Police must restructure its structure in such a way that would enhance effective zonal structure and management.
“We need to make Zonal Command effective and this can only be achieved through restructuring.
“I am a strong advocate of federalisation of Police Force. We need to devolve the control of Police in such a way that the cumbersome shouldered by the Inspector General of Police would be reduced.
“So, it is high time we go back to drawing board and map out policies that would strengthen high sense of professionalism, effectiveness and proficiency in the Police Force because the unitary structure has become obsolete to a nation like Nigeria”, Aregbesola stressed.
