The Zone XI Police Command comprising Ondo, Osun and Oyo States, has established a security Stakeholders’ Forum to address security challenges in the Zone.
This was disclosed by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Zone, Leye Oyebade, mni when he paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Osun State as part of his familiarisation tour of the State Command.
The AIG said that the Forum which had received the approval of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, NPM, mni, would consist representatives of the Governors of the three states, traditional rulers, leadership of the PCRC in the Commands, community leaders, the media, transport union leaders, trade union leaders, market leaders, students’ union leaders, and other relevant segments of the society.
According to a press statement signed by SP Adekunle Ajisebutu, Zonal PPRO, Zone XI Command Headquarters,Oyebade hoped that the Forum would change the face of policing in the Zone, and that it would address heinous crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, rape, cattle rustling and other violent crimes.
In his response, the Governor thanked the police boss for the visit, while expressing satisfaction with the level of security in the state. He praised the police and other security agencies for their professionalism during his election and other elections in the state.
He assured that his administration would continue to support the police to enable them achieve their objective of providing robust security in the Zone.
Earlier, the AIG who was accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Ige, visited the Ataoja of Osogbo,and the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland to seek their blessings and solicit their support.
While addressing officers and men, heads of sister agencies, traditional rulers, PCRC members as well as other stakeholders at the Command headquarters, the AIG reiterated the importance of community policing and the need for public partnership. In his address, the AIG charged police officers to respect and protect fundamental human rights of the citizenry.
In his words, ‘police officers must imbibe the core values of discipline, diligence, valour and ethical conduct’, adding that they must be conversant with legal issues and evidential requirements necessary for discreet investigation and diligent prosecution.
In a bid to further strengthen the existing synergy between the police and other sister agencies especially in the Zone, the AIG also visited the Brigade Commander, Engineer Construction Command, Ede, Brig Gen AO Agboola. Both officers in their separate statements, reinforced the need for interagency collaboration among the security services.