Governor Willie Obiano has inaugurated Anambra State Community Policing Advisory Committee.
The Committee has Governor Obiano as its Chairman.
Government House Correspondent, Ejike Abana reports that the event which took place at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, was witnessed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Celestine Okoye representing the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, as well as Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone Nine, Mr. Baba Tijani.
Anambra state Commissioner of Police, Mr. John Abang, and the Traditional Ruler of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe will serve as Co-Chairmen of the Committee.
Other members include Service Commanders in the State, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba representing Anambra North Senatorial District, Mr. Asha Nnabuife representing Anambra Central Senatorial District and Former DIG of Police Val Ntomchukwu representing Anambra South Senatorial district.
Mr. Chinedu Aniagbaoso, was nominated by the Governor, while there are representatives from the Anglican, Roman Catholic Church, Pentecostals and Moslem community, as members of the committee.
Governor Obiano, who said that the Committee is the highest body in the Community Policing activities, revealed that the delay in inaugurating the committee was as a result of communication gap which has been ratified by the Inspector General of Police.
The Governor, who said that the state will start with about twenty five persons per community, pointed out that the initiative will exist in three levels, the state, community and local government levels.
He commended the Inspector General of Police for adding flame to the initiative ,stating that it is a way of returning policing to the community which is the best approach that had since been adopted by Anambra before now.
While stating that it will engender trust, IG Adamu represented by DIG Okoye noted that the initiative is a multi agency and citizen approach, saying that it is sequel to the IGs tour of all states of the federation, emphasizing that it is also a way to partner with local police aimed at profering solutions to local security challenges, so that the citizens will be in charge of the security, controlled by the police, when functional.
On the 12th of February 2020, Governors of the South East geopolitical zone unanimously accepted and adopted the Community Policing Initiative of the Nigeria Police, which they articulated in a ten point communiqué presented during the South East Geo-Political Zone Security Summit, held at the Enugu State Event Center.
The Summit was convoked at the instance of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu.
Consequently, on the 19th of February, 2020, Governor Willie Obiano convened a meeting and briefed members of critical sectors in the state, in continuation of the community policing initiative.
Credit: ABS