By Sunmola Olowookere, Adekola Afolabi, Bukola Olamona, Jimoh Ahmed &
Kayode Olabanji

Notable Nigerians have commended the proposed community policing and sanctioning of parents and landlords of convicted persons by the people of Ita Ogbolu town in Akure North Local Government area of Ondo State.
They said the proposal if endorsed by majority of the residents of the town, would be binding on all and serve as a prelude to eradication of criminality.
Those who spoke with The Hope in seperate interviews included constitutional lawyer, Dr Tunji Abayomi; Afenifere Chieftain, Chief Femi Aluko, Senior lecturer at Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology. Mr Adeleke Ogunfeyimi and Chief Imam of Imo, Arigidi Akoko, Sheikh Bashir Muhammed.
Speaking with The Hope, the Chairman of Itaogbolu Development Town Council, Chief Temitope Ojo disclosed that the community will, henceforth, sanction convicts and their families.
According to him, the community is only interested in sanctioning the convicts and was not planning on sealing houses as it was being rumoured.
Ojo further stated that the reason for the sanction was to expose the crime and make everyone aware that he is a convict and that the parents have not handled him well.
An elderstateman, Chief Femi Aluko, who commended the new community policing described it as a fair way of reducing crime in the town.
He said it is a way of bringing a stern policy to keep both parents and Landlords in the town on their toes as things might get worse if something was not done.
While saying that the policy has reduced crime in the town to about 80 percent, he said that is a way of helping the poor women who work hard day and night and their proceeds later carted away by youths who are lazy but want to live big.
Speaking on the legality of such a move, a Constitutional Lawyer and Rights Activist, Dr. Tunji Abayomi said though such a practice might be acceptable in line with the norms and culture of such community, it does not have legal backing.
He stated, “in terms of culture, it may be acceptable and instill morals. But it does not have the force of law; it has no legal backing. You cannot punish somebody else for the action of an adult. It is a different thing if the person is a juvenile.
“However, the culture, the norms of the community may accept it if it is a consent by all or the majority of the people in the community. Then the people would be bound by such practice,”Dr. Abayomi said.
Mr Adeleke Ogunfeyimi, lecturer at Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa said community policing in advanced nation, is a way to ensure the effective security of lives and property.
According to him, community policing requires high intelligence, finance, commitment to duty and tenacity of purpose. It also requires the collective efforts of both the security agencies and the people.
In the same vein, the Chief Imam of Imo, Arigidi Akoko, charged leaders of religious houses to be proactive in preaching against bad habits which are not only against the teachings of God, ĺbut also dangerous to existence in the society.
Sheikh Bashir said if Landlords could be penalised for any of his tenants who is convicted, it will go a long way to ensure only persons of sound mind and good characters are allowed to rent houses in any house in any community.
According to the cleric, the development will ensure landlords check or know the type of person who comes to live in the neighborhood.
Similarly he called on those in charge of religious houses to study those coming to worship in such places well to ensure some criminal elements are not hiding under religion to perpetrate crimes.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Bashir has called on parents to monitor their wards and children while they must ensure they teach them good morals.
The Chief Imam disclosed that most of the crimes in the country today is as a result of parents neglecting their parental roles in shaping the lives of their children.
According to him, many parents are in hot pursuit of worldly riches and neglect the children as they hardly have time for them since they are more concerned about the rat race of making millions.