IGP canvasses people-oriented approach to policing

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu has said that the challenges of policing a vast country make it imperative to adopt a people-oriented approach.

According to him, the approach is part of police strategies for internal security.

Adamu unfolded the strategies yesterday during the North East Security Summit at Government House, Maiduguri, Borno State.

He said that the summit was in accordance with community policing initiatives and strategies to achieve internal security.

“Public trust, consent, and partnership are the foundation upon which policing rests,” he said, warning that any policing architecture that alienated the people could not achieve its mandate, regardless of how equipped, motivated or trained a police department could be.

The police, the IGP said, should continually engage citizens, seeking their support and input to address security challenges, as they face various communities in the 774 councils.

He noted that it’s imperative to draw historical heritage and leverage it on the nation’s traditional strength.

He said the communities in the Northeast, affected by Boko Haram insurgency; have a traditional structure that enables traditional rulers to maintain an effective cultural and social control.

He said traditional institutions should utilize the existing system of traditional administration in crime management functions.
Continued: “This summit provides a unique opportunity to evolve pathways towards advancing these imitative, adding that the summit is to sensitize the citizens participate and partner in policing functions.”

He said the people should “identify, dissect and prioritize” security threats and working together to adopt strategies of tackling security threats.

He noted that the recent strategies jointly adopted in the North-West and South-West geopolitical zones were effective in addressing security threats.

He said the Northeast is facing threats of Boko Haram terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling, armed robbery and attendant murder.

He said crimes are fueled by violent extremism, high rate of firearms proliferation, border security challenges and security situations across Africa.

“Several critical police infrastructures have been destroyed by the insurgents in their terror campaign,” he lamented.

He said the police are moving into the next level by sustaining the adopted strategies and achievements.

“We will ensure full restoration of civil authority and support the reintegration of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs),” he said, adding that it is being driven by community policing.

He said the Civilian JTF, are volunteers to complement the State to defend their communities against terror attacks other security threats.
He said the volunteers, are fighting arm-in-arm with the military, while they complement the anti-crime functions of local police.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state, said the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) have been supporting the Army in counter-insurgency operations.

He urged the Army to take the fight corridors of the Boko Haram insurgency.

He said the absence of people in some communities, encourage insurgents to hide and launch attacks on towns and villages in the state.

He said the livelihoods of returnees should also be addressed, while the root causes of insurgency are identified for redress.

Senator Ali Ndume, who represented the Senate President, Sen. Ahmed Lawan urged the North East Development Commission (NEDC), headed by Alhaji Mohammed Alkali to expend its N35 billion budget before the end of this year.

He warned that once the 2019 Budgetary Appropriation expires, the commission may not access the budgetary allocations.

He said that since the military, is not fighting a conventional war, the insurgents are in the hideouts of Lake Chad region, Mandara Mountains of Gwoza council, and Sambisa Forest.

He said the forest and mountains are located south and southeast of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

Other governors that attended the summit include Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state, deputy governors of Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe and Shehu of Borno, including emirs of Gwoza, Shani, Askira, Uba, Dass,

Katagum and Jama’are.