The Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of South-West, Sylvester Alabi, has asked police officers in the country to sit up as policing is not a tea party.

Alabi said that eradicating kidnapping and other criminalities needed professionalism and hard work.

He said this while addressing the officers and men of the Ondo State command in Akure, the state capital over the weekend.

According to him “Policing is not a tea party, it is a very serious, tedious, physical and mentally challenged job.

“The time has come for police officers to engage community and religious leaders to tackle criminality in the society.

“We need to sit down and do a serious planning to eradicate any kidnapping incident.So, it’s time for you to double your efforts and ensure the pocket of occasional kidnapping and occasional armed robbery being experienced becomes a thing of the past,” he said.

The police chief, said fighting crime in the South-West had yielded positive results, but there was the need to do more.

Alabi said that “When something happens unexpectedly, the officer must go back to the drawing board and re-strategies.

“So, it’s a job that entails total commitment and total dedication, because we owe members of the public a duty to secure their lives and properties. Generally, South-West is one of the most peaceful zones in the country today, but I don’t want you to be carried away so that you will not get embarrassed.”

He therefore, called on police officers to imbibe the ethics of the job, saying corruption and extortion would not be condoned.

“As police officers, you can do your job and earn a good name without delving into all those unprofessional and unethical conducts.

” I am admonishing you to desist from that and you should attract goodwill for yourself from well-meaning Nigerians.

“Because if you do your job diligently and show that you are a man of integrity, you will be loved by people and gain more confidence and trust from people,” he added.

Speaking on his visit, the police chief said that it was on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to all the zonal DIGs to assess security situations in their respective zone.

Also, speaking, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 17, Abiodun Asabi, assured the DIG that the zone would continue to fall in line with the agenda of the IGP.

Wasabi said “We are not going to rest on the accolades that our zone is the most peaceful in the country, we will continue to push our zone more to be free from any form of criminality.

On his part, the state Police commissioner, Abayomi Oladipo, said the command has mapped out plans to ensure that the state is devoid of actions and inactions that can heat up the polity ahead of the November 16 governorship election in the state.

Oladipo, said that he had met with political stakeholders and all relevant organisations involved in electoral activities, ahead of the election.

He appealed to political gladiators and their supporters to play the game according to the rules and to avoid causing chaos in the state. (Vanguard)