By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun, has given approval for 3 new Police Area Commands in Ifo, Idiroko and Imeko in Ogun State.
The Police Chief gave the approval on Wednesday 17th April, while addressing security issues raised by stakeholders during a meeting with them at the Police Officer Wives Association (POWA) building within Nigeria Police Force, State Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, as part of his official three-day visit to the Gateway State.
The IGP said the approval for the new area commands
was to address security challenges, especially in border communities while logistics needs of the State Command would also be tackled soon.
TheFact Daily notes that residents in the border areas in the State always live in fear as a result of people who move into the country, perpetuate crimes and cross back to their countries. Ogun State borders the Republic of Benin to the west for about 185 km, Oyo State and Osun State (for 84 km) to the north, Ondo State to the east, Lagos State to the south for about 283 km, and has 16 km of coastline on the Bight of Benin to the south, interrupted by Araromi Beach exclave of Ondo State.
The IGP said, “I have heard your request for an area command in Ifo and that request is hereby granted, we are not only stopping at giving area command to Ifo, we will also give two area commands in the two border areas – Idiroko and Imeko.
“On the issue of manpower, lack of vehicles and operational logistics for Ogun State Command, I have whispered to the CP that he should give me the list of all the needs of the Command and we are going to pay attention to all of them.
“Whatever that we need to do to stop kidnapping in Ogun State, we are going to do it. The fact that there are few crimes being committed here and there does not affect the peaceful status of Ogun State”.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, vouched for Ogun as listing among the safest states in Nigeria despite its peculiar circumstances in terms of its proximity to Lagos State, being Nigerian border State to neighbouring Republic of Benin, housing the highest number of religious centres and tertiary institutions in the country among other issues that predisposed her to be home to the good, bad and ugly.
Alamutu also drew the attention of the IGP to the slight shortfall in manpower and said the IGP’s visit would not only rejig crime fighting but also find a solution to it.
He pledged the Ogun command’s loyalty and commitment to the ideals and vision of the Force.
