The Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has vowed to reclaim all territories currently under the shadow of banditry, kidnapping, and insurgency.
Speaking on Monday at the Kwara State Police Headquarters in Ilorin, the IGP emphasized that the security agencies will no longer tolerate a situation where criminals displace law-abiding citizens from their ancestral homes.
He asserted that the land belongs to the people and the state, and the police remain resolute in their mandate to ensure that no part of the country is relinquished to criminal elements.
Drawing from his personal experience, the IGP noted that he had been on a special security assignment in Kwara State for a month prior to his appointment, giving him a firsthand understanding of the unique security challenges facing the region.
He explained that his current visit was operational in nature, aimed at personally encouraging officers who have been stationed on the front lines for months.
He commended the officers and men of the state command for their dedication and urged them to intensify their efforts to restore peace and order across all local communities.
During his address, the IGP also touched upon the complexities of internal security, particularly regarding the involvement of various ethnic groups in rural crime.
He urged the public to avoid profiling, noting that while there are criminal elements within herdsmen communities, there are also many Fulani individuals who have lived peacefully as neighbors for generations and continue to assist the police with vital intelligence.
He made a direct appeal to these traditional communities to increase their cooperation by providing the information necessary to identify and root out the dangerous elements among them.
The IGP further expressed his gratitude to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for his consistent support, citing the Governor’s role in providing essential logistics and infrastructure to aid police operations in the state.
Concluding his remarks, the Police boss assured the rank and file that his administration would prioritize the welfare of officers to boost morale.
He maintained that by strengthening the bond between the police, the government, and the community, the force would successfully take back every home and town currently threatened by insecurity.
