Stories by Ahmed Ajikobi
Members of the Eminent Members Forum in Kwara State have identified Eyenkorin, a suburb of Ilorin, the state capital as a dark spot for criminal activities.
Cross section of members of the forum who spoke to Pilot Crime on the sideline of the interactive session organised for stakeholders by the state Police Command in Ilorin recently, decried level of insecurity in the area.
The members decried the spate of armed robbery attack in the area, just as they called on security agents in the state to beef up security in the area for safety of lives and property.
A member of the Forum, Lawal Abdulahi, said armed robbers and other criminals have made Eyenkorin their base from where they strategise and carry out their operations.
“Their have been records of robbery attack on travellers from the South West at Eyenkorin and on the express road linking the area to the north.
“Unfortunately, there are no policemen in the only police post in Eyenkorin and this has heightened insecurity in the area,” he lamented.
In the same vein, members of the Forum from other local governments in the state, called for deployment of personnel by the state police command to various police posts in communities.
They also urged the state government to support security agents in combating crime effectively by providing necessary logistics, adding that CCTV should be installed in strategic places within the state to curb activities of criminals.
They tasked the police to foster good relationship with members of the public, noting that citizens are veritable source of information to combat crime.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Lawan Ado has appealed to traditional institutions and eminent personalities in the state to join hands with the Nigerian Police in its efforts to curtail crimes and criminality in the state.
The CP, who described fight against crimes as a collective responsibility of all and sundry, said crime fighting will be more effective and efficient if members of the community collaborate with the police.
On issue of bail, the CP urged members to report cases of extortion by men and officers of the command
He said: “If any officer request money from in the form of bail to effect your release inform me.”
Ado assured Kwarans of the commitment and dedication of the men and officers of the police in the state, promising that his men would not rest on their oars to ensure sustenance of peace and order in the State.
He explained that the police was working assiduously to fish out the bad eggs within the system, pointing out that the issues of dissidence is not peculiar to Nigerian police but could be found in all institutions and agencies.
Ado however thanked relevant agencies like Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Trade Union Associations, NURTW, Hoteliers Association and traditional institutions for their kind supports, which according to him, has ultimately helped the police to effectively carry out their operations in the state.
He pledged that efforts are on top gear to take care of the welfare of the rank and file of the Nigerian Police as well as provision of logistics to make their job more conducive and effective.
In his comment, the representative of the Emir of Ilorin, Dr. Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, the Magaji Aare of Ilorin, Alhaji Aremu Zubair, expressed satisfaction that troublemakers have been caged in the emirate.
Also speaking, Etsu Patigi, Alhaji Ibrahim Chatta Umar, who was represented by the state former Head of Service, Alhaji Dabarako Mohammed described the meeting as a welcome development and advised the state command of police to hold it on quarterly basis.
Umar urged the police to look into the issue of herdsmen/Farmers crises and come up with a blueprint that will protect the interests of local cattle rearers and farmers so as to avoid crimes and criminality.
The Alofa of Ilofa, Oba (Engr.) Samuel Dada, who was represented by the Odofin of Ilofa, Chief Moses Sunday Oni appreciated the police state command for efforts to maintain peace and order in the state.
