Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has solicited the participation of stakeholders in community policing to protect life and property in the Northeast.
The two-day workshop is being organised across the six geopolitical zones in the country, while the 300 stakeholders from the region; are from Borno, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Taraba and Yobe states.
Declaring the workshop open, yesterday (Wednesday), at the International Conference Centre, Maiduguri, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba disclosed: “This workshop is designed to deepen the implementation of the community policing approved by the federal government in 2020,”
He said the adaptation of community policing was an internal security strategy to protect life and property in the nation.
Baba, represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zannah Ibrahim said: “Community policing is the way to go in addressing the complex and challenging dynamics of crimes.”
He said the implementation of community policing is to mitigate the challenges associated with emerging internal security realities,” noting that the policing strategies are gradually taking root with people’s acceptance.
Besides, he added that community policing is a well-founded principle of partnership between the police and the citizens.
The people in communities, he noted, are to serve in identifying security threats to build trust and synergy in solving them.
“Policing has been brought to the door steps of communities in improving the quality of life,” he said, stating that community policing also strengthens the bond between police institutions and the citizens by confronting the common enemies.
He warned that the enemies are existing and living in various communities to alter the values for security and peace.
He further reiterated that community policing has enhanced the capacity of the police to generate and utilize actionable human intelligence in stabilizing internal security.
On the empowerment of stakeholders to implement community policing, he said: “We’ll continue to empower you to refresh and broaden your knowledge with joint evaluation on crime prevention in communities.
“You are recruited under the Supernumerary Police provisions of the Nigeria Police Act,” adding that they are voluntarily to serve their communities by complementing the police in the safety of life and property.
Responding, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Usman Jidda Shuwa said community policing is an effective way to tackle insecurity to both life and property in the region.
He added that it could also reduce the incessant perpetration of criminal activities in most of the communities.
He, therefore, urged the police and other security agencies to be proactive, so as to ensure a hitch-free and credible 2023 general elections.
