By Adadareporters
The ‘Anambra State Police Community Policing Model’ will soon be unveiled to check crimes in the state.
The state police commissioner, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, stated this in Awka while rendering the accounts of his stewardship in the last sixty days.
He said the command had launched the window of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Community Policing principles “for those desirous of taking advantage of such avenues to resolve specific problems and issues”.
He warned criminals to turn a new leaf, adding that “criminals are warned to retrace their steps as the command is poised to deal squarely with any acts of criminality without regard for status”, adding that, “As far we are concerned, there are no unknown gunmen in Anambra State. People who are terrorizing innocent citizens must be made to account for their crimes.”
He used the briefing to announce the arrest of over 200 criminal suspects and recording of four convictions in the past two months.
Also, four kidnap victims were rescued unhurt while over thirty-three different brands of arms, including AK47, pump action guns, and locally made pistols were recovered, he said.
Also undergoing investigations, according to him, are over 1,644 ammunition of various types, twenty-seven stolen and different brands of motorcycles, and monies amongst other exhibits.
Quoting him, “Another significant innovation in the command is the ongoing training and retraining of officers and men to improve operational proficiency and acquire more skills in crime prevention strategies. We have conducted a security summit with the informal security sector that had, in attendance, vigilante groups, hunters, and other relevant security outfits in the state, to enhance an all-inclusive policing system.
“We are consulting and engaging relevant stakeholders, like traditional rulers, market leaders, youth groups, and civil society organizations in the state.”
He warned officers and men of the command to desist from unprofessional conduct. In his words, “I am not unmindful of challenges bordering on professional misconduct on the part of our officers and men. We have resuscitated the Complaint Response Unit to complement other police units that act as watchdogs to make that personnel comply with the ethics of the job in the discharge of their duties and investigate complaints against officers.
He said residents and visitors to Anambra State deserve to be treated decently in line with the policing principles of IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.
CP Itam also commended the judiciary and the state government for signing into law the anti-cultism law specifying a jail term of a minimum of 21 years with no option of fine on any person found culpable of cult-related activities. He also commended the state and the judiciary for the law that stipulates legal confinement of six months or the option of half a million naira on anyone harassing innocent individuals to obtain illegal tolls, land grabbers, or any related activities in the state.
He said, “These developments shall further re-echo the campaign and stand against touting and cultism, especially the police on the advocacy programme, Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices, POCACOV, targeted to sensitize the youths on the dangers of bad groups, drugs, and other vices.
