The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has told the Lagos State Commissioner for Police, Mr. Zubairu Muazu, that he was ready to support the Lagos State Police Command in strengthening the state’s security architecture.
Speaking at the weekend, during a courtesy visit to the Commissioner’s office in Ikeja, Lagos, Aare Adams said efforts were ongoing to work out effective modalities to fight insecurity in the state.
He admitted that the partnership between the police and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) was beginning to yield positive results with other relevant groups coming on board as partners in progress.
The Yoruba Generalissimo informed the police boss of the various efforts he had put in place since the Inspector- General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu and the southwest governors had expressed their readiness to work with the OPC under his leadership in combating insecurity across the southwest.
Part of the efforts put in place, he said, was the convocation of the Southwest Security Stakeholders’ Group (SSSG), a meeting comprising all relevant security groups across southwest and the unveiling of a roadmap towards achieving the set objectives.
“So far,” the Aare continued, “we have made significant progress since the IGP had expressed the readiness of the police to work with the OPC under my leadership. It is on that basis that I said the OPC and the Nigerian Police are partners in progress.
“We have started work in earnest and everybody can attest to the fact that our efforts are beginning to yield positive results, especially, now that it is obvious that the rate of insecurity in the southwest has reduced tremendously in the past few weeks. We have set the pace and the signs are there for everybody to see that we are ready to secure the southwest and make the region safe for Nigerians.”
The commissioner expressed optimism that Lagos was becoming peaceful with zero tolerance for crime. He noted that the Inspector General of Police was on top of the security situation in the country, adding that the foundation laid down by his predecessors in the state had really helped the police in making significant breakthrough in creating a workable synergy between the police and the people at the grassroots.
“In recent times, the spate of insecurity has taken the centre stage across the country,” the OPC leader continued. “However, I want to assure you that we are committed to providing the best security for Lagosians. We are committed to making the state safe for residents, and in doing our job, we are ready to partner with individuals or groups that can help the police curb the spate of insecurity in Lagos and Nigeria as a whole.”
The commissioner also harped on information and intelligence gathering as panacea for peace, saying nobody can undermine the rate at which information spreads at the grassroots.
“We all know that information dissemination is key at all times, and the police is in the best position to dissect the information gathered. So, I think Aare Gani Adams’ visit is timely and it is a positive sign that things are taking good shape in the country,” the police boss said.