The Delta State Police Commissioner CP Aina Adesola has expressed gratitude to the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, JP, OON for sustaining the peace in Uvwie but appealed for more partnership to combat the rising incident of drug abuse, cultism and kidnapping
The Police Commissioner spoke when he led a term of officers to pay a courtesy visit to the palace of Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, Effurun during a familiarization tour to the newly created area command where he urged political actors and community leaders not to interfere in criminal investigation and prosecution so as not to embolden criminals.
“It is only in Nigeria, you seen families of criminals, kidnappers and cultists moving from one police station to another, attempting to influence police office through blackmail in the social media in order to bend the law”
He noted that in Uvwie, there have been no interference in police investigation and prosecution of criminals and that this might be partly responsible to declining criminal incidents in the local government area
The Police commissioner also commended the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom for having a palace security committee to monitor criminal activities in the community and advised that all criminal incidents or information should be passed discretely directly to the Area Commander or Divisional Police Officer(DPOs)
CP Adesola stressed the importance of parental guidance of their children along the right part and advised to them not to support criminal children or tolerate any irresponsible behavior from them, citing examples of how he was brought up and disciplined by his mother when he stepped out of order.
According to him community leaders should screen okada riders’ thoroughly because some of them work with criminal elements in the community and also raised alarm over criminal elements from neighbouring countries as well as the influence of social media in the current rising crime incident in the society.
Responding, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Sideso, Abe I, JP. OON blamed the rising incident of crime in the community on lack of respect for the traditional institutions rendering them almost powerless to discipline misguided community youths and other criminal elements.
The Monarch also regretted incidents whereby when criminals were arrested they end up being released and they threatened those who reported them to the security agencies adding that there were so many wrong things going in the society today.
He regretted how traditional rulers fighting crimes in their community were often invited by the police as well activities of some human rights groups making it difficult to fight crime, stressing that when that security agencies’ and traditional institution join forces it would be easier to combat crimes
During a familiarization visit to the temporary office of the newly established Effurun Area command, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Aliyu Shaba noted that the Effurun Area Command occupies a strategic position within the state, as the commercial hub of Delta State endowed with dynamic social-economic activities and unique security challenges which demand vigilance, professionalism and proactive police engagement.
He appreciated HRM, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom for his leadership and fatherly role and his discreet resolution to ensuring that Uvwie was safe for residents and non-residents alike as he had consistently supported the police and warned all his chiefs not to interfere whenever the police were performing their duties.
While pledging the loyalty of his command, ACP Shaba requested for the repair of command APC vehicle which had been down for a long time now being a critical asset used for high-risk operations and patrol of volatile areas.
He said In view of the foregoing challenges, there was an urgent need for police commissioner’s intervention and assistance from philanthropic individuals in fixing the APC vehicle to strengthen the operational capacity of the Effurun Area Command.
ACP Shabe demanded for the deployment of additional Inspectors and Rank/Files personnel saying that effective communication in modern policing could not be over emphasized, particularly in coordinating patrol teams, responding promptly to distress calls, and ensuring seamless information flow among officers and divisions within Effurun area command
