THE acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar- Adamu recently appointed Mr. Undie Adie as the new commissioner of police for Ondo State.
HE took over from Gbenga Adeyanju who has since returned to the Headquarters.
UNDIE before his redeployment to the state was at a point Commissioner of Police, Plateau State command. He assumed duty in Ondo State at the peak of the force general elections and Ondo State is one of the electoral flash points .
HE is coming at a time the state is also grappling with the menace of kidnapping, ritual killings and armed robbery among other vices. Arguably, no fewer than fifteen people had been kidnapped while many people were robbed at gun points in the last few months. It is also on record that the hoodlums killed a victim for failure of his family to redeem the ransom placed on him.
AREAS most affected include, Akure -Owo road, Owo/ Ikare road, Owo- Ifon, Akure Ado road, Ondo- Ore roads among others. Most worrisome however was that the police under the immediate past police boss in the state failed to find solutions to the activities of the hoodlums.
WE therefore welcome Mr. Undie to Ondo State and also wish him a happy stay. We call on him to quickly settle down and start the proper policing of the state.
ONDO State no doubt is an investment haven, thus, any challenge that could jeopardize the security of the state and send wrong signals to interested investors into the state should be frontally tackled.
HE should therefore hit the ground running by changing the security architecture of the state. We feel there is need to take proactive steps at stemming activities of the hoodlums taking the state by the jugular.
HE should also take a look at recommendations of the recently concluded security summit in the state with a view to implementing those pertaining to the police.
WE suggest that Akoko areas and other roads leading to Abuja need to be properly policed. We also recommend coordinated operations among police commands sharing boundaries with one another. This we think will not only produce good results but would also make the hoodlums not have a place to hide.
- Undie needs to identify crack police officers who would help actualise a water tight security for the state.
INTELLIGENCE gathering plays a major role in any organization. Therefore, the police command needs to get its acts right if it wanted to win this war. Anything contrary would be tantamount to groping in the dark. Gone are the days when fire brigade approach is used to tackle security challenges. Nowadays, it demands serious planning and scientific implementation of such plans.
WE advise that the command lashes unto its police/ community relations. Our position is that for any criminal activity to take place in any community there must be internal connivance. Thus if the police could identify people of questionable character, it could go a long way at tracking criminal activities in a given environment.
WE feel that the police also need to be debriefed this on some of its activities. A situation where an innocent person would be arrested by the police on trumped up charges would do the organization no good.
ALSO, its men are fond of extorting money from the public in a brazen manner. Bail is boldly written in most police stations to be free is far from the truth. These and many more are the toga which the police carry about. People therefore find it difficult to see them as friends and could not make available information which is at their disposal to the police.
THE time has come therefore for the police to internalise a relationship with the people in order to gain their confidence.
WE suggest that any DPO and DCO in whose jurisdiction criminal activities proliferate should be made to carry the vicarious responsibilities. This we believe would make them be more responsible.
WE wish Mr. Undie a rewarding and exciting stay in the state.
