Trains religious leaders on possible security risks, safety tips

Imo State Police Commissioner, Audu Garba Bosso has urged church leaders to constantly monitor all activities including movement of worshipers especially strange faces within their worship centers.

He said the effort would help identify and combat security risks that threaten the safety and protection of the church, the congregation and people of the state at large.

Bosse gave the advice in a one-day Interfaith Security Summit with the theme: “How to Identify, Manage, and report cases of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to Safeguard Worship Centers”, organized by the Imo Command for all Christian and Moslem clerics in the state, held at the Command’s headquarters, Owerri on Tuesday.

The CP represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, DCP Hamzat A. Abdulkadir, said the summit was part of the Command’s proactive policing strategy aimed at strengthening collaboration with religious institutions and enhancing the safety of worship centers across the State.

He reiterated the Command’s commitment to proactive policing and harped on the importance of partnership with religious institutions in preventing security threats, particularly in worship centers.

The Imo Police boss also used the opportunity to solicit continued unweaving support and collaboration from the church leaders and other stakeholders in the state to efforts that would guarantee adequate security, peace and stability in the state.

The trainer, CSP Moses A. Ogini, Commander, Anti-Bomb Unit of the command, during the training, guided the participants on how to identify suspicious objects, appropriate response measures to adopt and best reporting procedures.

“Ensure effective access control and security checks at all times, especially at all entrances and exit points. There should be effective inner and outer perimeter patrol at all times.

“Movement of strange persons and visitors should be monitored. Routes of passage of VIPs should be placed under surveillance especially at points which tend to encourage planting of devices such as refuse dumps or where grasses are overgrown and points where vehicles are naturally expected to slow down or stop le bends or road junctions.” Ogini advised participants.
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In their remarks, the participants including the State Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, Evng. Bethram Uzodinma and the representative of the CAN President, Pastor Sam Akujiobi, commended the initiative and stressed the need for sustained collaboration between security agencies and religious bodies for enhanced security in the state.