Delta Governor, Sen. (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, on Monday, called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Alkali Baba, to strive toward bridging the gap in the relationship between the police and citizens of the country.

Okowa made the call when he received the IGP on courtesy visit at Government House, Asaba, and pointed out that growing lack of trust between the police and the people resulted from poor relationship.

He advised that the IGP should interact more with different stakeholders with a view to bridging the gap between the Police Force and the people, adding that community policing could only work better with the cooperation of citizens.

According to Okowa, lack of citizens’ trust in the police requires that your office interact more with different stakeholders with a view to bridging the gap between the Nigeria police and the people.

He remarked that tour of various police commands and formations across the country by the police boss would help to bridge such gap.

“With your infectious personality, I have no doubt that you will be able to attract more people to support your policing vision of enhancing police primacy in protection of lives and property.

“It is our prayer that you will continue to work hard and partner other sister security agencies to ensure that Nigeria gets more and more peaceful in the days ahead,” he said.

The governor said that there was a need for joint effort to tackle security challenges in the country, and explained that “in Delta, we are thankful that the collaboration is real and it’s helping us to achieve results, and we hope it continues”.

He said that there was need for proper funding of the police with logistics and equipment to enable the force to be more confident in its work, especially when combating criminal elements.

“If we are able to fund the police to provide for more data and extensive intelligence-gathering, the more likely we are going to achieve faster result.

“Community policing can only work better with the cooperation of the people, and in Delta, we are in the process of completing the enactment of a law that will establish Community Security Corps to work in partnership with the police for effective crime prevention,” Okowa stated.

On herders-farmers clashes, he said the state had been able to manage it with the structures put in place to ensure that the clashes were minimised.

“Whatever you can do to strengthen the police command in Delta, we urge you not to hesitate in providing such support,” the governor assured, adding that the state government would continue to support and cooperate with the police within available resources.

Earlier, the IGP had said that he was in Delta as part of his familiarisation tour of state police commands and formations across the country to intimate them on his vision for the force under his leadership.

He appreciated the governor for continued assistance to Delta command, adding that it had remained one of the best that had added value to policing in terms of strengthening the force with creation of new area commands and establishment of security outfits to compliment the police.

“I am here on a facility tour of the Delta State Command as part of my visit to police formations in each state to interact with the officers and men on my vision for the force.

“To improve crime prevention in the state and country, the Police have adopted the community policing strategy as model for bringing police nearer to the people and we seek the support of stakeholders for the implementation,” Baba stated.

•PHOTO: Delta State Governor, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa (middle); Inspector General of Police, Mr. Alkali Usman (left); and Delta State Commissioner of Police, Ari Mohammed, shortly after a courtesy visit on the Governor in Government House, Asaba, on Monday. PHOTO: JIBUNOR SAMUEL.

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