The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mohammed Adamu, says the Federal Government is to recruit 40,000 Community Police Constables across the federation as part of the measures to strengthen community policing in the country.
Adamu said this on Thursday in Enugu during the launch of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV).
He said: “Each of the 774 council areas in the country will have a minimum of 50 constables to strengthen security at the local levels.
“It will also involve engaging community-based organisations, groups and institutions to see that it works for the betterment of all.’’
The I-G, represented by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 9, Mr Baba Tijini, said that the adoption of POCACOV as a national programme was in line with Federal Government’s community policing agenda.
He said that the idea of community policing was to involve all stakeholders in the onerous task of crime reduction in Nigeria.
He said that the police would sensitise members of the public to join the fight against crime and criminality at the community level.
The I-G said: “I want all Nigerians to key into this programme for the overall reduction of crime in all our communities in the country.
“We want to engage and work together with local citizens to easily identify security threats and proffer local solutions to them.
Earlier, Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Maikobi, the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, who spoke on behalf of service chiefs in the state, assured the I-G of the continuous support of the security agencies.
Maikobi, represented by the 82 Division Garrison Commander, Brig.-Gen. Sylvester Oloyede, said that the existing synergy among the security agencies in Enugu state and other parts of the country had continued to yield positive results, NAN reports
“The I-G should be assured that he will get our unwavering support towards this campaign to ensure that it succeeds,’’ he said.
