Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of FCID, Abuja and coordinating DIG for South-west geo-political zone, Abiodun Alabi, has called on state governors in the zone to assist the police with technological equipment such as drones and helicopters to rid the region of kidnappings.
Mr Alabi stated this during a familiarisation tour of Ekiti Police Command in Ado Ekiti on Monday.
He was speaking against the backdrop of the recent killing of two prominent traditional rulers in the state by gunmen believed to be kidnappers.
He noted that such equipment could help deal with criminals before they manifest their intentions.
“With gadgets like drones that can geolocate these criminals thereby providing intelligence, it would help us immensely in dealing with the criminal elements before they manifest their intentions.
“When there was an incident here in Ekiti where our two traditional rulers were killed, Governor Biodun Oyebanji visited our Force headquarters and met with the IGP. I was in that meeting and we held extensive discussion on how to make kidnapping a thing of the past. I believe the Governor and his Ondo State counterpart are working together to get us the needed equipment to make sure that kidnapping is curbed within the zone,” he said.
Mr Alabi said the police had a few helicopters that could not go round the 36 states and the FCT. He stated that there was no reason each state command could not have a helicopter.
“It is going to be capital intensive to get those numbers of helicopters, but that is the way forward. We will continue to work on achieving this,” he said.
The DIG advised the officers of the command on how they could earn the trust and confidence of the people.
“I want to appeal to our officers that the only way you can earn the trust and confidence of the people is by treating them as human beings. I am an advocate of human rights. I abhor completely any breach of human rights. You cannot continue to trample on people’s rights and think they will support you or assist you in your policing strategy.
“It is one of our duties, as enshrined in the amended Police Act 2022, that we must protect human rights. And if it is one of your cardinal duties, you must conform to that provision by protecting human rights instead of abusing it,” he said.
Meanwhile the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Akinwale Adeniran, has urged the police leadership to address some challenges facing the command to enable the police to perform better.
Mr Adeniran listed the challenges to include inadequate manpower and logistics, as well as incessant transfer of personnel out of the command.
“I wish to make a passionate appeal to the DIG to assist the command in this regard. The command needs more hands than the strength at its disposal in order to sustain the peace being witnessed in the state and even do better,” the police commissioner said.
READ ALSO: How police can curb kidnapping, other crimes DIG
He added that available statistics showed that Ekiti State remained the most peaceful among the 36 states of the federation.
He pledged that the officers of the command would not rest on their oars until it (command) achieved zero crime rate.
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