Abia state governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has called for the review of existing crime prevention strategies with a view of evolving new strategies that are citizens based driven.
Speaking at a public lecture on South East Security Summit held at Imo state Trade and Investment Centre, Owerri, Dr Ikpeazu also called for the strengthening of the synergy between the law enforcement agencies and the diverse communities in the South East and other zones of the country towards crime prevention and national security management.
He stressed the need for government and top security authorities to intensify efforts at training and retraining of their personnel in line with international best practice as well as the use of modern techniques and deployment of state of the art equipment to improve the quality of life of the people and security of the society.
He said that the issue of security is a collective responsibility of all which require concerted efforts and inputs of all stakeholders and commended the Inspector General Of Police (IGP) and the Nigeria Police Force for the great initiative in onvening the summit to brainstorm on the best way forward in managing security challenges in the zone.
Represented by his deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, the governor said that his administration have been partnering with the security agencies through the donation of patrol vehicles and communication gadgets to help fight crime and boost security in the state thereby ensuring adequate protection of lives and property and creating an enabling environment for investment and for economic activities to strive.
He described the theme of the summit ” Community Policing : Rethinking National Security Framework For National Development “‘ apt especially now that the nation was grapping with the challenges of Boko Haram, kidnapping, herdsmen rampage, armed robbery, terrorism among others and therefore called for urgent need to bridge the gap between the police and the community to restore public trust that will motivate the citizenry.
In his remarks, the Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha reiterated that crime of any kind should be condnmed by leaders at all level who must take responsibility of protecting lives and property around them. Owelle Okorocha stressed the need for the Police force to engage in crime prevention rather than tackling it as well in promoting it’s officers based on professionalism.
Earlier in his address, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris said that the issue of providing protection to lives and property cannot be effectively achieved without the input and collaboration of the people through community policing and assured that the Police under his watch would be more committed than ever before to overcome all security challenges confronting the nation through community policing and solicited the support of the South East people and entire Nigerians to achieve this feat.
Also speaking, the deputy Senate President, Ike Ekwermadu represented by Senator Andy Ubah described the summit as very timely in view of the security challenges confronting the country especially the high rate of killing of innocent Nigerians in the Northern part of the country and expressed optimism that tangible actions on the way forward would be evolved from the summit to tackle security issues confronting the nation.
The summit featured goodwill messages from governors of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states represented by their various deputies, the theme lecture presented by Prof Muhammad Umah and another lecture, Safety and Security: Panacea for Useful Development by former Commissioner for Police, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu (Rtd) and the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo.
