Ebenezer Adurokiya, Reporting
THE Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel E. Erale, has intensified efforts to strengthen community policing and tackle criminal activities across the state, engaging traditional rulers, community leaders and police personnel in a series of familiarisation visits.
The engagements, which took him to the palaces of the Orodje of Okpe, the Ovie of Uvwie and the Ovie of Agbarha-Warri, as well as the Sapele, Effurun and Warri Area Commands, centred on intelligence sharing, respect for human rights, professionalism and the need for collective action against crime.
The engagements coincided with a strategic visit by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 5, AIG Monday Agbonika, who charged the Delta State Police Command to intensify intelligence-led operations against cultism, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
At the palace of the Orodje of Okpe, His Royal Majesty, Major General Felix A. Mujakperuo (retd.), CFR, mni, Orhue I, who is also Chairman of the Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers, Erale sought the monarch’s counsel and support in addressing security challenges confronting the state.
The police commissioner expressed concern over the menace of cultism and drug abuse, urging the traditional ruler to mobilise support for efforts to protect communities, particularly young people, from their destructive consequences.
He also reiterated his directive that cases involving sexual offences must be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law, warning against the informal settlement of such serious matters.
With the ember months and forthcoming elections in view, Erale assured the monarch of adequate security, political neutrality and zero tolerance for electoral malpractice.
The Orodje described the people of Okpe as peace-loving and expressed delight at the commissioner’s posting to the state. He pledged his support and promised to encourage other traditional rulers to collaborate with the police in tackling criminal activities.
Similarly, during his visit to the palace of the Ovie of Uvwie, His Royal Majesty, Dr Emmanuel Ekemejewa Sideso, Abe I, JP, OON, the police commissioner underscored the importance of sustained cooperation between traditional institutions and security agencies.
He disclosed that Area Commanders, Tactical Commanders and Divisional Police Officers had been directed to ensure that cases involving sexual abuse, defilement, incest and other serious offences were not unlawfully compromised.
Erale also identified cultism and drug abuse as major threats to the future of young people and the security of communities across Delta State.
In his response, the Uvwie monarch expressed confidence in the commissioner’s ability to address the state’s security challenges and pledged the palace’s continued support through intelligence sharing and cooperation with the police.
On electoral security, Sideso promised to encourage his subjects to participate peacefully in political activities and work with security agencies to prevent electoral violence.
At the Warri Area Command, where he also visited the Ovie of Agbarha-Warri, His Royal Majesty, Kingsley Emakpo Orereh, Igbi II, Erale emphasised the strategic role of traditional rulers and community leaders in maintaining peace and protecting lives and property.
He urged residents to embrace community policing by providing credible and timely information to the police, assuring them that the identities of informants would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
The commissioner, however, cautioned against supplying false or misleading information arising from personal grievances, rivalry or sentiments, stressing that effective policing depended on reliable intelligence.
He further warned police personnel against human rights violations and directed them to desist from arrest by proxy, assuring that officers found culpable of infringing on citizens’ rights would face appropriate disciplinary action.
He also called on community stakeholders to promote tolerance, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, warning against actions capable of generating unnecessary tension.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 5, AIG Monday Agbonika, on Thursday, November 5, paid an official familiarisation visit to the Delta State Police Command, where he charged officers to strengthen the fight against cultism, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
Agbonika, who was received by Erale, was briefed on the security situation in the state, the command’s operational achievements, recovered firearms and ammunition, as well as cases under investigation.
He commended the command’s efforts in combating crime but urged officers to intensify intelligence-led operations, prioritise crime prevention and enforce relevant laws to discourage cult-related activities.
Addressing officers and men of the command, the AIG reiterated the Inspector-General of Police’s directives on community policing, professionalism and public accountability.
He warned against corruption, extortion, abuse of power and other forms of misconduct, insisting that personnel must adhere strictly to human rights principles and due process.
The zonal police chief also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve personnel welfare and directed the command to maintain political neutrality while ensuring adequate security ahead of forthcoming electoral activities.
At a stakeholders’ engagement involving representatives of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) and Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Agbonika stressed that credible intelligence sharing and sustained police-community partnerships remained essential to preventing crime and strengthening public safety.
In his response, Erale assured the AIG of the command’s commitment to implementing the Inspector-General’s directives, strengthening community partnerships and intensifying operations against cultism, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
He reaffirmed the command’s resolve to uphold discipline, professionalism and respect for human rights while sustaining efforts to safeguard lives and property across Delta State.
The series of engagements underscores the growing emphasis on community-based security, with the police leadership seeking stronger partnerships with traditional institutions and residents to confront criminality and sustain peace across the state.
