Community policing is panacea for insecurity, says Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has declared that community policing remain the only solution to tackling the country’s insecurity.

Osinbajo spoke to reporters after a meeting with over 80 traditional rulers and security chiefs in Osogbo, Osun State.

The traditional rulers include Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Owa Obokun of Ijesaland Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran and Oluwo of Iwo Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi.

They were also joined by Assistant Inspector General of Police for Zone II Mr. Leye Oyebade and the Commissioner of Police Mrs. Abiodun Ige.

Osinbajo said the traditional rulers and local communities must be involved in the fight against insecurity.

The vice president, who described the traditional rulers as important component of security architecture in communities, said the Federal Government would keep consulting with critical stakeholders across the country.

He said: “We are meeting purposely to understand the security architecture of the region; you know we have already had consultations with state governors from the Southwest.

“We are meeting with traditional rulers because they are important components of our security architecture, particularly because we are working on community policing.

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“Community policing remains one of the methods of policing we have adopted, and I am sure you heard the Inspector General of Police talking about recruiting police locally from their local governments; those who understand the environment, the language and the culture of the people they are policing.

“We are confident that this method will work with these men and women on ground in all our communities.”

Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola explained the effort of his administration in tackling insecurity in some parts of the state.

Oyetola, who was represented at the meeting by his deputy, Gboyega Alabi, said: “We held security meeting with all stakeholders in the state in Osogbo and followed it up with another meeting in Ife-Ilesa Zone, the mining-rich area, to address the influx of criminals into the communities.”

He added that the Southwest governors also held a security summit and decided to work together to tackle the menace.

The governor said: “We have collaborated with the neigbouring states, mobilised vigilance groups and local hunters to police the flashpoints and other parts of the state. I have visited mining sites to assess the security situation there and the extent of environmental degradation.

“I have visited the Chief of Army Staff, the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of the State Security Service to solicit support for our security plans. The General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army has visited us in Osogbo on the directive of the Chief of Army Staff to pledge support for our security plans, including the joint patrol by security agents. Government has increased logistics support for security agencies in the state.

“Mr. Vice President, your visit today is another vista in the relentless search for adequate security for our people, because the security of the people and their welfare are the main constitutional responsibilities of government.”

The governor thanked President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration for being pro-active and for showing interest in the security of Osun State and the Southwest.