Fayemi makes case for police reform, community policing

Ekiti elders blame FG for ‘failure’ of Amotekun

Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has reiterated the need for a reform mechanism that would improve citizens’ trust in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for effective community policing.

Fayemi stated this in Ado Ekiti, at the weekend, during a stakeholders’ forum on community policing, involving heads of security agencies, public servants, politicians, civil society organisations, youth and women groups, as well as trade groups.

At the event, former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Sunday Ehindero, urged stakeholders to support the establishment of community policing to tackle banditry and other security challenges in the country.

Speaking through the Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, the governor stated that community policing was vital in addressing security challenges in the country, but lamented the non-implementation of recommendations made at different fora in the last 20 years on how the police could be reformed.

Fayemi said the establishment of a police ombudsman to receive and address citizens’ complaints against police officers as well as cases of abuse against police officers had become imperative.

MEANWHILE, Ekiti Council of Elders has said that the noble initiative by the South West people and governments for a regional security outfit codenamed Amotekun was stalled due to the legal brickwalls formed by the Federal Government.

The elders alleged that the outfit, which would have been a major regional cooperation, was boxed into states’ affairs where each state resorted to legislations.

President of the council, Prof. Joseph Oluwasanmi, and General Secretary, Niyi Ajibulu, stated at the weekend that just as Amotekun was finding its feet, the wave of kidnapping and other crimes in Ekiti shot up within a month.

They noted that of more concern was the non-approval of firearms for the organisation, despite the proliferation of arms across the country and the calibre of bandits that Amotekun would have to contend with.

Urging the governors to continue dialoguing with the Federal Government so as to properly equip Amotekun, they added: “The South West state governments should realise that Amotekun can only succeed in its tasks, if it remains community-owned and community-driven. Through these, the outfit can be indispensable to other security agencies in intelligence sharing and bursting criminality.