The new Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Mr. Edgal Imohinmi, has sought the cooperation and partnership of Ikorodu residents in a bid to fight crime in the division to a standstill.
While speaking during a Security Town Hall Meeting at Ikorodu Town Hall on September 7, 2017, which was his first official interactive session with the residents on assuming office, the Commissioner informed all that he was passionate about community policing and safety. He said a community could not be adequately policed and protected without involving its residents.
According to him, the Police is ready to involve residents in playing active roles in how their communities would be policed, stating further that community policing involves partnership with the people since the Police cannot succeed in securing the communities without information given by its residents. He, therefore, implored them to repose more trust in the Police.
The Police Boss also informed the residents that the Police Force has started organizing series of lectures for its Officers in the state. He said the essence of the lectures was to remind the Officers of their duties and to educate them on the importance of community policing. It was also to inform them that all forms of indiscipline would no longer be tolerated. The Commissioner assured the gathering that severe punishment would be meted out on any Officer, who failed to partner with the community to safeguard them. He restated that the era of high handedness and non-challant attitude of Police Officers in the state was over.
Imohinmi charged the people to draw closer to the Police Force. In his words, “I want you to draw closer to your local Police Stations; engage the Officers; communicate with them on happenings in your location; give them tasks and see whether they would carry them out or not,” he stated.
He also informed them that he has created a platform known as the “Citizen Complain Port Center”. He disclosed that the centre would operate from his Intelligent Laboratory at the Government House, Alausa, with ten dedicated lines that residents of the state could call to report any Police Officer who fails to comply with his instructions.
The Commissioner, however, implored the residents to desist from jungle justice and remarked that people should not take laws into their own hands. He advised them to hand over suspects to the Police, stating that whoever lynches or kills a suspect commits greater offence.
Hon. S. O. B. Agunbiade, while speaking at the event, emphasized the need to have a Police Station in the Odogunyan area of Ikorodu. According to him, the area hosts the largest industrial Estate in Nigeria and comprises of thirty two communities; hence, the need to have a Police Station to curb crimes.
Speaking further, Agunbiade said the main reason the people didn’t trust the Police was because there was no transparency in the prosecution of criminals. He pointed out that when people in the community arrest a criminal and hand him/her over to the Police, they don’t hear about it anymore.
He, therefore, tasked the Police Boss on the need to inform the people, probably on a monthly basis, on the activities of the Police relating to arrests made, prosecutions and convictions made in court. This, he said, would motivate the people to work with the Police.
Hon. N.S. Solaja, member LSHA representing Ikorodu Constituency II, said there was no synergy among the Divisional Police Officers in the divisions. He said their response to issues has always been, “It is not within my jurisdiction.” Solaja said this should not be so since they are all in the same division. He enjoined the Commissioner of Police to enjoin the DPOs to work together for the good of Ikorodu division.
Solaja also implored the new CP to make provision for a new Area Commander in the division. He said that just one Police Area Command was too small for the division since the population have been on the increase, precipitating the need for more Police formation.
Hon. Wasiu Adesina, Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, who spoke on behalf of all council Chairmen in the division, thanked the new Commissioner of Police for coming to interact with the residents of the division. According to him, the newly elected Council Chairmen had taken it upon themselves to inaugurate peace and security committee that would allow for peace and security within the different Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in the division.
Adesina promised that the deliberation and recommendations of the committee would be extended to the Commissioner for him to know the security situation in their respective local councils. Hon Adesina assured the CP of the readiness of the people of Ikorodu division to cooperate and partner with the Police to fight crime in the division. On his part, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi prayed for a successful tenure for the new Commissioner.
The dignitaries, who attended the event include, HRM, Oba Semiudeen Kasali, Adeboruwa of Igbogbo; HRM Richard Ogunsanya, Olubeshe of Ibeshe; HRM Adeoriyomi Oyebo, Obateru of Egbin. Others were Regents of Ipakodo, Ijede and Orugbo; Representatives of market men and women, and members of the various communities’ vigilante groups.