Kogi East Neighbourhood Watch (KENW) has said the involvement of communities in security management remains a panacea to stem criminal activities in Kogi State and the country in general.
KENW, a community policing outfit approved by kogi state police command for intelligence gathering and sharing in kogi east disclosed this during their just concluded 4th Annual Security Summit codenamed “KASS 2024” on Saturday at Ankpa in their communique.
The Summit that was chaired by Major General James Aliyu Ataguba (Rtd) and has a Guest Speaker as Assistant Inspector General of Police, Abutu Yaro (Rtd) fdc is aimed at creating awareness of community policing & neighbourhood security relations in the districts of kogi east .
According to the organiser, the security summit is set to strike understanding of the causes and current state of insecurity in the district, as well as to trigger stakeholders’ interaction, examine and address any pressing security challenge/s facing the communities.
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In its communique, KENW noted further that security is everybody’s business, as such, it should not be left for the government to shoulder its responsibility alone,considering the present fragile security situation in the east of kogi and the country at large .
KENW therefore resolved to improve the effective mechanisms for intelligence gathering and sharing among community members, neighborhood watch groups, vigilantes, and security agencies for great impact of community policing in the region.
With this, stakeholders said KENW should be positioned to facilitate improved collaboration and partnerships between community leaders, security agencies, and government institutions to ensure a unified response to security threats within Kogi East.
To achieve this, among others, the body said
government and the elites should enhance or improve the role of natural traditional rulers and community leaders in local security matters; stakeholders in kogi east should support the various security agencies to synergize for effective results ; and Community leaders should mobilize and sensitize residents on the essence of community policing and their own responsibilities.
“Kogi East Neighborhood Watch (KENW) to be structured and strengthened along the line of the old and traditional nineteen (19) districts to enhance community participation, mobilization and coordination.
“Each of the nineteen (19) districts in Igala land is advised to set up its own district Vigilante Or Neighborhood Watch or whatever name fits , to be funded by the elites of that area , and Vehicular or motorized accessories and logistics be provided by them.
“And the ONU of each District and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Districts and President of the Districts’ Community Development Association(s) (CDAs) to act as Joint CHAIRMEN for efficient operations”, the communique read .
Earlier, in his address, the chairman central coordinating committee of KENW, Dr Omakoji Oyiguh said the body and partners have strived to keep the light of the Federal Government’s community policing policy burning in the homeland with fanfare since its creation.
“We are thankful for the policy of the Federal Government that provides us the opportunity as responsible citizens, to be able to support the security agencies with credible, actionable and timely intelligence, towards the overall security of the homeland”, he said .
He said the theme of KASS 2024 :”Community Policing, a panacea for curbing community criminalities and
improving security coordination in Kogi East ,specifically and kogi state in general” which was handed over to AIG Abutu Yaro (rtd) and others to deliver lecture on was apt ,considering the increasing wave of insecurity in the region of the state .
While Doctor Oyiguh said the summit will review past activities towards repositioning the organisation for improved performance, he added that the last one year has been full of challenges for community policing in the homeland.
Dr Oyiguh who commended the services of the heads of the security agencies in Kogi State, and called for the sustainance of the existing synergy with all the security agencies solicited for improved vigilance and patrol of the kidnapping flashpoints in Kogi East between now and the yuletide, to keep the criminals off their beats.
However, KEWN appreciated the President of the Federal Republic, Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo, for the establishment of Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Abejukolo in Omala Local Government Area, with a naval patrol component in Bagana.
KENW added that the effort will hopefully deescalate the riverine threat through Nasarawa State, beside improving the security of the Bagana area to ensure that Kogi East is not further destabilized.
Meanwhile, KENW called on Community Development Associations (CDAs) in the flank to show more interest in community policing policy and supervise communities under their various jurisdictions to nip criminal activities in the bud .
The body also commended the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Commissioner of Police (CP), Kogi state police Command (who sent representatives), traditional rulers and members of the organising committee, including all who took their time to attend the security summit at Ankpa ,saying ,their collective efforts to stem criminal activities in the kogi east will not be in vein.
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