SECURITY: COMMUNITY BUILDS POLICE AREA COMMAND HEADQUARTERS IN IMO

Reporter :  CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

The Imo State Police Command says effective collaboration between the force and community leaders will not only help nip crime in the bud but accelerate development at the grassroots.

The Commissioner of Police in charge of the Command, Mr. Isaac Akinmoyede, stated this while inaugurating Okigwe South Police Area Command headquarters at Umuakagu Community in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.

The Area Command Headquarters was built and donated to the police by Umuakagu Community.

Mr. Akinmoyede commended the community for the self help project, noting that the gesture would increase police visibility and strengthen community policing to reduce crime in the area.

Mr. Akinmoyede, who was newly promoted to Assistant Inspector General of Police, gave an assurance that the police would equip the command to make it functional and appealed to the community to continue to support the command.

“This Area Command Headquarters belongs to the community. Therefore you must do everything possible to protect it and on our own part, we will ensure that it is functionally equipped to face the operational challenges expected of the full fledged Area Command,” Mr. Akinmoyede assured.

A community leader in the area, Chief Cyracus Dike, said they were motivated by their commitment to check activities of miscreants, who engaged in anti social behaviours, including robbery, rape and cultism.

He expressed optimism that the Area Command Headquarters would support economic growth in Okigwe South and urged the police to maintain cordial relationships with the host communities.

“People now live in fear and some prefer to sleep outside our environment out of fear. It is my conviction that this Police Area Command will help rediscover our environment from societal vices to the good of our youths and posterity,” Chief Dikef remarked.

Highlight of the event was the inauguration of Police Community Relations Committee members in the area by the Police boss in the state.