Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani-Bello has stressed the need for the traditional rulers to mobilise their subjects for effective community policing for a secured and crime-free nation.
The Governor stated this when he paid a condolence visit to the Etsu Lapai, Alhaji Umar Bago Tafida and the people of Lapai Emirate over last week armed robbery attack on the two commercial banks and a police station in Lapai, headquarters of Lapai Local Government, which claimed three lives and left seven people seriously injured.
Governor Sani-Bello noted that the closeness of the traditional rulers to their people and the tremendous influence they have on them put the royal fathers in position to ensure effective mobilisation for effective community policing.
“Our royal fathers and indeed the traditional institution should be at the fore front mobilising their subjects to protect the society. We have to imbibe the spirit of community policing by reporting any strange movement to security agencies. Security is the responsibility of all and that is why community policing in a way out of ensuring secured society.
” The last attack on the town by this hoodlums, whom I want to describe as enemies of the state, would have been aborted if our people were vigilant, security conscious and imbibe the spirit of community policing by reporting the strange movement of the hoodlums.
“For a safe community, everyone is now a police officer. We have to secure our community. That is why our royal fathers are crucial to the mobilisation of our people to embrace community policing. Because of the last robbery attack on the town, Inspector General of Police has made some changes and I promise to put in my best he said”.
The governor, who was accompanied by the new Commissioner of Police of the state, Mr. Dibal Paul Yakadi and other security chiefs on the condolence visit had earlier checked on the three of the injured victims at the IBB Specialised Hospital, Minna where he pledged that the state government will foot their medical bills.
Emir of Lapai. Alhaji Umar Bago Tafida who expressed shock on the attack by the armed bandit and blamed it on poor security, lack of adequate manpower and weaponry on the part of the security agencies in the town.
The royal father assured the governor of his emirate resolve to support and collaborate with the police to unravel and expose the perpetrators of the last attack on the town
The royal father then appealled to his people to be patient with the government saying the government have good intentions towards its people.
