Worried by the incessant armed robbery attacks in Okene and its environs, the Nigeria Police have called for support of traditional rulers in the fight against crime in the Kogi State.
The state Commissioner of Police, Paul Okafor, who made this known at the weekend in Okene, during a stakeholders’ meeting with traditional rulers from Kogi Central senatorial district to find ways of preventing crimes in the area, said since assumption of office, many crimes had been committed by men of the underworld in the state, especially in Okene and its environs.
He disclosed that the development made the stakeholders’ meeting imperative in order to bring peace and love for one another to the area.
He disclosed that the assessment of crimes in the state showed that about 70 to 80 per cent of heinous crimes committed in the entire state happened in Kogi Central, especially Okene, adding that it had led to loss of lives and properties worth millions of naira.
According to him, “The meeting is to find solution to this problem. We want people to go about their normal life without fear of being killed. It is an established fact that security is the responsibility of all and no society can be comfortable without effective policing and law enforcement to guarantee the maintenance of law and order.”
He added that the constitution states that the security and welfare of people shall be the primary purpose of government but this laudable objective is hindered if not completely shattered in the part of the state by undesirable element which must not be allowed strive.
The commissioner identified political thuggery, assassination, robbery, kidnapping among other crimes in the area which according to him has brought economic activities in the area and government’s activities to a halt while some notable personalities are no longer feel safe to come home for fear of being kidnapped.
He urged the people to always give useful information to the police because perpetrators of crimes are members of their community, saying that efforts of the police to fight crime and prosecute offenders are always thwarted by unwillingness of the people to give information to the police
He however decried the rate at which fire arms are in the hand of unauthorized people, saying that the efforts of the police to mop up the arms in tphe past did not yield good result due to non cooperation of the people, urging them to submit the arms to the police as they will do everything possible to mop up arms in the area.
Responding, the Ohi of Okengwe, Alhaji Yakubu Anvasa assured the commissioner of their support urged the commissioner to identify with the traditional rulers in the area who know the people for effective policing.
