By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja.
The Inspector General of Police IGP, Alkali Baba Usman, has ordered his men in the country to adhere strictly to the rules in the discharge of their constitutional duty of protecting lives and properties.
Usman specifically directed his officers and men to be friendly and avoid breaching the fundamental rights of citizens, to engender their cooperation.
He spoke on Sunday in Ogoli-Ugboju Community in Benue State while commissioning an ultra-modern, furnished divisional police building, complete with CCTV cameras and computers.
The IGP who spoke through the Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Mr Wale Abass, ordered immediate deployment of 26 officers to man the new Divisional Police Station to combat insecurity in the area and bring police closer to the people.
The building, housing the new Police division, was donated to police by the National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Ambassador Dickson Ameh Akoh.
Usman thanked Akoh for the gesture and appealed to Nigerians to emulate the gesture so as to make police more effective and efficient in the discharge of their duties.
“The Inspector General of Police is so happy and grateful to Ambassador Dickson Akoh who used his personal resources in building a magnificent and tastly furnished state-of-the-art Divisional Headquarters to the Nigeria Police Force.
“As a measure to bring policing closer to the people, the IGP has graciously approved the deployment of 26 officers to man this Command and has also directed the officers and men to adhere strictly to the Police Rules in the discharge of their assignments.
“The IGP intends to bring youths on board and that’s why he is taking policing to the grassroots. He is encouraging youths to be law-abiding and not to take laws into their hands for peace to reign in the community” he said.
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, said he felt relieved with the establishment of the Divisional Police Headquarters in Ogoli- Ugboju as it will reduce security challenges in the area to the barest minimum.
Represented by the Executive Chairman of Otukpo Local Government, Mr. Bako Ejeh, the governor commended the Inspector General of Police for creating additional three divisions in Otukpo Local Government Area.
Ortom appealed to the people of the state to give adequate information to police for them to do their work effectively and commended Akoh for the magnanimity and show of love to his community in deploying his personal resources to accommodate the police.
In his welcome address, Akoh on behalf of the people of the community thanked the Inspector General of Police for approving the establishment of the Police Division and commended the Commissioner of Police, Benue State, Mr Wale Abass, for personally honouring the invitation.
The Peace Corps National Commandant revealed that before now, the area used to be a theatre of cultism that graduated to criminal activities involving robbing market men and women of their hard earned money.
He said since the news of the establishment of the Divisional Command in the area, the hoodlums have already found their way out of the town because they knew that they will be fished out.
To sustain his efforts, Akoh said the people of the community have agreed to pay Annual Security Levy to aid the smooth operations of the Command, and promised to refurbish the police patrol vehicle stationed at Och’Ugboju palace, in addition to the donated one.
He recalled that before now, Ogoli- Ugboju used to be the headquaters of Adoka, Onyagede and the present day Ohimini local government area, adding that the place is long overdue to have a Divisional Police Headquarters.
The Senator representing Benue South Senatorial District, Abba Patrick Moro, thanked Akoh for securing a Divisional Police Headquarters from the Inspector General of Police at the time of security challenges in the country.
He promised to do all within his powers to assist the police in the task of carrying out their duties effectively by donating of two motorcycles and an operational vehicle.
The paramount ruler of the area, Obande Ku- Ugboju, HRH Chief Solomon Apochi eulogized Akoh for bringing development to Ugboju land and urged other citizens of Ugboju to emulate the gesture.
He requested that the Police establish outposts at Okwudu and Akpachi to tackle security challenges in the areas, and
urged parents to warn their children to desist from any act of lawlessness and breach of peace.
