By Mercy Akuba
In a bid to champion a safe and crime free environment , the Divisional Police Officer, (DPO) SP. Solomon Oriarewo has inaugurated Community Safety Partnership to collaborate with the Police towards effective policing of the various communities within his AQR
The move is believed to help the Police to mop all illegal arms and partner with the community to fish out criminals who carry out heinous crimes .
He stated this during the inauguration of the Community Safety Partnership in the Idogbo police division on Wednesday, 23rd of October in Benin City.
According to SP. Solomon , Idogbo division is keying into the mandate of the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika to build symbiotic relationship with community Leaders and relevant associations for easy flushing of kidnappers, cultists within the communities.
He advised the stakeholders to spread the message to their various groups on the need to cooperate with police officers whenever they have issues to answer with security officers. While in cases of infringement, they should contact him and lodge their complaints.
” Upon resuming as DPO of this division, I visited Community leaders and the necessary stakeholders to identify the peculiar criminal activities in this community. My team and I went into action and today, you all can testify that Upper Sakponba of 10 years ago is not Upper of today. People are safe living and carrying out their business in Upper Sakponba”.
Speaking further, he called on investors to come and invest in Upper Sakponba as Peace has returned to the once dreaded community in Benin City.
“The essence of this meeting is to inform you all that the Police is ready to make the various communities part of the security apparatus. If you see something, Say something” he added.
On his part, High Chief Cyril Ogboru noted that the Police are aware that some communities have arms they use in defending lands in their possession. To enable Police Carry out their work effectively, such arms would be profiled by the Police Division .
According to him, if after profiling arms that are used by communities when necessary, if the police detect arms in the possession of individuals or groups, such persons would be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
He reiterated the words of the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika that community dwellers should channel the energy they used in boundary disputes, kidnapping, land grabbing and cultism to support the police to protect their communities .
He urged SP Oriarewo to extend invitations to all the Okaghile, Enogies, Odionware, Community Secretaries in the next interface with stakeholders so that the message will trickle down to the grassroots.
He commended the DPO proactive approach in dealing with Criminals in the community and appealed to him to sustain his good work.
The meeting which was interactive saw some of the participants commending the DPO and his officers while appealing to be considerate to tricycle drivers who are mostly on balance and Carry.
They explained that the owners of the Tricycles do not hand over the particulars of the tricycle to them because they have not completed their payments and as such becomes difficult to present to the police when ever they are asked to provide it.
Responding, SP Oriarewo said, they must present agreement documents to the police before they can free them to avoid allowing people to do away with stolen tricycles .