The Oyo State government has tasked the traditional hunters to have a change of attitude and adhere strictly with the rule and regulation guiding community policing in the State.
The Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Culture and Tourism, Hon. Akeem Ademola Ige stated during the 2022 Re-Training and unveiling of new uniform and identification cards for traditional hunters in Oyo State held at Lawn Tennis Court 2, Adamasingba complex, Ibadan on thursday.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Hon. Akeem Ige who is the Baameto Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, told the traditional hunters that while their operation is to compliment that of the police and other security agencies, it was necessary to equip them with necessary laws guiding the community policing so as not to run foul of the law while discharging their service to the community and Oyo State as a whole.
He enjoined them to maintain a cordial relationship with the police officers in their respective areas as this will help in strengthening police effectiveness in preventing and controlling crimes.
He assured that government would continue to support them and engage some of them into the Amotekun security outfit in its recruitment exercise.
While delivering the lecture with the topic, Re-Crime detection, prevention and control partnership with the police on community policing, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command who was represented by CSP Olufunke Fawole said what necessitated the concept of community policing is the heightened security challenges confronting the nation which contain internal security challenges of armed banditry, rape, kidnapping, ritual killings, killer herdsmen, cultish and so on.
The Commissioner of Police who described the establishment of community policing as a welcome development and an idea that is long overdue, stressed that it was necessary for the hunters to have requisite knowledge of their environments and understand the terrain of major forests and hillswhich and the places using by the criminals to perpetrate their evil act at the neighbourhood.
The police boss, however, implored the hunters not to engage in unnecessary rivalry with the police officers but rather have a smooth relationship with them to have a positive and accurate intelligence gathering and the high level of operational efficiency in the State.
Others that attended the programme were the Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Relations, Hon. Olufemi Josiah, the Oluode of Ibadan, Chief Kehinde Ege and his counterparts from Saki, Igboho and Iseyin.
Highlight of the re-training programme packaged by AY Consults, management training and business developments consultants was the unveiling of new uniforms and identification cards which the traditional hunters will henceforh be wearing during their operation as community policing for the next five years.
