By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin
Worried about the alarming state of insecurity in Nigeria, The Salute Nigeria Initiative has taken its 3 in 1 Community to community sensitization programme to Offa community, through the palace of the Olofa of Offa
The programme tagged, Campaign against insecurity, Gender-based violence and Advocacy for community policing, provided the opportunity for stakeholders across Kwara State to engage in conversations that would put an end to insecurity in Nigeria
The coordinator of the NGO Ambassador Chielo Ojirika speaking in the palace of Olofa of Offa on Friday said members of the community must be made to be security conscious of their environment in order to stave off the rising upsurge in the states surrounding Kwara state.
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Ojirika urged the residents of Offa to therefore cooperate with the Nigerian police, at the level of community policing by providing information that would help the police to nip in the bud any security challenge in the community.
He said, “In Nigeria today, new threats such as kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, vandalism, cultism and armed robbery have continued to undermine the nation’s developmental strides
“Thus, this trend must be curtailed before it would overshadow the existence of this great country Nigeria.
“This forms the basis for bringing our project to Offa to sensitize our people on our, programme tagged, Campaign against insecurity, Gender-based violence and Advocacy for community policing so that the community, the state and indeed Nigeria can be safe for us all”
He also said that the call for the sack of service chiefs and overhaul of the nation’s security architecture would not address the core issues that had led to the increasing activities of criminals
The convener of the programme Asiwaju Mashood Shittu ( a fellow with the Institute of Conflict Resolution, Peace Building and Conciliation ) in his remark said a fundamental rethink is needed in Nigerians approach to curtailing this menace.
He added that one of the sure approaches is community policing, stressing that if government synergizes with the Nigeria Police Force towards fulfilling the long pursued security outfit, it will yield good results, owing to the fact that police is closer to the grassroot.
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He called for collective responsibility and approach towards addressing security challenges bedevilling the country
The commissioner of police Kwara state command Mr Kayode Egbetokun said strengthening the security institutions and consulting with local authorities and stakeholders to partner with the government would go a long way in achieving security and peace
He said sustainable peace can not be achieved without the active engagement of the royal fathers in the fight Against insecurity and other social vices
The Olofa of Offa Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye said the traditional institution is the integral component to control the excesses of the youthful population while urging his subjects to cooperate with the security agencies for safety of the community.
The monarch who advocated for community policing and synergy among all security agencies tasked his chiefs to ensure strict compliance to security directives and also visit their farms once in two weeks to ensure peaceful existence.
Olofa told the chiefs to also pass the same message to their people, stressing that they would be responsible for any breach of peace in their areas.
The highlight of the ceremony was the recognition of the Olofa as the face of 3 in 1 ambassador
The team also visited the police barrack built by the community following the 2017 robbery incident that claimed many lives in Offa
