POLICE TO RECRUIT 40, 000 COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICERS TO BRIDGE SECURITY GAPS IN NIGERIA
The Police boss, who said 147 of the arrests were made in the South-West, explained that the Community Police Officers (CPOs) would be recruited from within the communities where the prospective applicants reside.
Penpushing further reports that, Adamu called on the security stakeholders in the zone to support the police in strengthening and advancing in the interest of communal and internal security, pointing out that 837 victims of kidnapping were rescued with 106 of such recorded in the South-West.
”Between January and August, a total of 552 murder suspects were arrested with 66 such arrests effected in the South-West. 2,015 armed robbery suspects were arrested with 363 of the figure arrested in the zone’, he said.
”1,183 suspected cultists were napped, out of which 425 were arrested in the zone. In relation to recovery, 1,356 firearms of various calibre and descriptions were recovered in various intelligence-led operations by the Police, with 277 of such recoveries made in the South-West’.
”Similarly, 21,300 ammunition of various descriptions and calibre were recovered with the highest number of 5,270 ammunition recovered from criminal syndicates in the zone. Also, 1,541 stolen vehicles were recovered across the country, with 482 of such recoveries in South-west,” he stated.
Penpushing also reports that, the Police chieftain, however, noted that there were isolated cases of kidnapping and armed robbery in the South-West, most importantly along Benin-Ore-Lagos Highway and across Ondo State.
The Inspector General of Police stated that the current operations of his men and other security agencies across the country, with emphasis along Niger- Kogi- FCT -Kaduna -Katsina and Zamfara State have recorded success.
Penpushing reports that, Adam while speaking further stated that a special operation was underway across South-West to specifically address the threat of kidnapping and armed robbery on the highways and other locations.
Hear him, “The operations areas have engendered a dispersal and relocation of some of the criminals to new localities including the South-West.”
The host Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde while reading the communiqué at the end of the summit, said that the Inspector General of Police has approved the deployment of Special Forces to be commanded by a Commissioner of Police.
Penpushing further reports that the communiqué said the Commissioner of Police would lead a Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) team to support the crime-fighting initiative of the State Commissioners of Police.
The Governor said the his colleagues alongside with him have made a commitment towards the provision of more serviceable, fast-moving patrol vehicles in support of crime-fighting, which shall be launched in no distant future, to complement the available fleet.
The communiqué also agreed that the traditional rulers in the zone would join hands with the police to take the ongoing fight against heinous crime to the doorsteps of the criminals in ensuring that they are smoke out.
Penpushing reports that, some notable leaders in the zone who attended the summit include; the Governors of Oyo and Osun while Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti were represented by their Deputies, Gani Adams- the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Ooni of Ife- Oba Enitan Igunwusi, Oba of Lagos- Rilwan Akinolu, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo- Alake of Egba land and Oba Akanmu Adetunji- Olubadan of Ibadan.
