The police have called for stronger collaboration with residents and community leaders to curb theft and other security challenges confronting communities across Nigeria.
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration and Finance, Olufemi Takeet, made the call during a security meeting with members of the Mandate I GRA Community Development Association (CDA) in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
He stressed the need for residents to compliment police efforts in protecting lives and property.
The CP urged members of the community to adopt more effective internal security measures and maintain close communication with the police, particularly in responding to emerging security threats.
He called for proper profiling of private security guards before employment, stressing that communities must know the backgrounds of individuals entrusted with their security.
The Commissioner also appealed to residents to provide necessary logistical support to the police to facilitate effective security operations.
He particularly urged the community to ensure that its gates were adequately manned, saying sufficient manpower was necessary to make the security arrangement effective.
According to him, “the police were prepared to support the community, while the Divisional Police should be encouraged to intensify patrols within their areas.”
He called for regular police patrols and urged the community to invite the Divisional Police Officer to security meetings to enable both sides to regularly review security developments.
The CP further advised residents to report individuals who refused to cooperate with established security arrangements for appropriate action.
Highlighting growing concerns over urban insecurity, the Chairman of the community, Abdullateef Oganija, warned that uncompleted buildings were becoming criminal safe havens.
He urged authorities to revoke titles on undeveloped land to curb attacks on residents.
Oganija also called for stronger grassroots-police collaboration, urging police authorities to deploy continuous day-and-night patrols alongside community-funded security gates to protect residents.
Earlier, the DPO of Adewole Police Station, CSP Ndagi Tetengi, said security was a collective responsibility that required the involvement of all stakeholders.
He disclosed that he had served in at least six police divisions in Kwara State, stressing that residents could not leave the responsibility of securing their communities entirely to the police.
The DPO advised residents to keep radios switched on, particularly during the day and night, as part of measures to deter criminal elements.
He also encouraged residents to identify abandoned buildings and undeveloped plots within the community and maintain constant communication with relevant authorities regarding them.
The meeting was informed of security initiatives already being implemented by the community, including the deployment of security personnel and measures to regulate access through its gates.
The community resolved to strengthen its security arrangements by engaging additional guards and ensuring that prospective private security personnel were properly profiled before employment.
The CP and DPO subsequently inspected parts of the community as part of their assessment of its security situation.
Speaking during the meeting, a prominent Kwara lawyer, AbdulMumini Jimoh, SAN, commended the police authorities for their intervention and assured them of the community’s cooperation.
Jimoh, however, drew attention to security concerns in the community and called for appropriate measures to address potential vulnerabilities.
The community spokesperson, Tunde Akanbi, had briefed the police on recent security challenges and outlined measures being taken by residents to strengthen security.
The meeting also considered measures to regulate the activities of scavengers within the community as part of efforts to strengthen security and encourage greater participation in community meetings.
The development comes amid growing calls across Nigeria for stronger community-police partnerships, intelligence sharing and neighbourhood-based security measures to complement conventional policing.
