Police task Ebonyi council chairmen on grassroots security

The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi, Mrs Hope Okafor, has charged the newly sworn-in chairmen of the 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state to strengthen collaboration with the command and ensure effective security at the grassroots.

Okafor gave the charge on Friday at a strategic security meeting held in Abakiliki with the new council chairmen.

She congratulated them on their inauguration and expressed the need for stronger collaboration between the police and local government authorities in maintaining peace and security across the state.

The commissioner urged them to make themselves accessible to their people by regularly visiting their localities, interacting with residents and also understand the security concerns and other challenges confronting their communities.

She said that effective grassroots security required leaders to be abreast of developments in their respective areas and working closely with security agencies.

Okafor also urged them to support their respective Divisional Police Officers and maintain close working relationships with them to sustain peace and security in their respective LGAs.

She further advised the chairmen to ensure that all vigilance groups operating within their jurisdictions were properly profiled by the police for effective coordination, accountability and compliance with the law.

The police chief, who also spoke on the approaching political campaign season, cautioned them against the use of inciting, inflammatory or hateful rhetoric, capable of heightening political tensions.

She also urged them to caution their supporters against making statements capable of threatening the public peace and security.

Okafor further admonished them to promote dialogue and peaceful resolution of communal disputes.

She underscored the need for early intervention to prevent disagreements from escalating into violence.

She also urged them to initiate public awareness campaigns against cultism among youths and educate parents, guardians and young people on the tactics used by child traffickers to deceive families and unlawfully lure away children.

In a speech, the Chairman of Afikpo LGA, Mr Timothy Nwachi, commended the commissioner for the security initiatives introduced since her assumption of duty.

Nwachi said he had personally felt the impact of the command’s renewed policing approach and its positive effect on security in his area.

In her vote of thanks, the state ALGON Chairperson, Mrs Helen Aduga, thanked the commissioner for convening the meeting and providing an opportunity for direct engagement with the council chairmen on grassroots security.

Aduga, who is the Chairperson of Izzi LGA, pledged, on behalf of her colleagues, to implement and promote the key issues discussed at the meeting.

She, however, appealed to the commissioner to encourage DPOs across the state to maintain close working relationships and effective synergy with the council chairmen for a coordinated approach to grassroots security.