Yesterday, the new Delta State Police Commissioner , Aina Ademola paid a courtesy visit on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori at Government House, Asaba signalling the importance of peace and security in the state.
Welcoming the new Police boss, the message of the governor was clear and crystal: the passion for peace was beyond description. The governor charged the police commissioner to arrest and prosecute non state actors with firearms.
He also laid out the commitment of his government to peace building.
Listen to Oborevwori :’ Peace gives room for development. Without peace, investors will not come. That is why Delta remains open’ . The message could not be better articulated.
The Pond News stands with the governors on the proliferation of arms in the state. The most dangerous of all are the Fulani herdsmen. These people have made life difficult for Deltans and farmers could no longer access their farms. No part of the state is safe from the rampaging menace of the herdsmen.
The curious and unexplainable aspect of the security plague is that there is a law on anti grazing. That is why both the police and the executive arm of government must wear their strategic thinking caps to stamp out the menace of Fulani herdsmen from the state. This is the most urgent assignment for the police chief.
Secondly, kidnapping and armed banditry have become trademarks of Delta State. Such people must be treated as criminals that they are. Linked to this is political thuggery. Thugs do not have money to buy weapons. It is their political lords who procure such arms. This might be like walking a tight rope for the Police Commissioner. Our advice is that the police boss should be firm and resolute in dealing with political thuggery. The law must take its course and that nobody is above the law.
The police commissioner may mean well for the state but the officers in the field would rubbish his noble intentions of professional policing. There are too many police check points in the state which are converted to extortion centres. CP must deal with the bad eggs.
Furthermore, the rank and file of the police must be warned not to be involved in lands matter and debt recovery drive for the citizens, no matter how tempting and alluring, the offers may be .
The Delta State government has a rich war chest for security which the police boss can draw from. Government is scout ready to help the police do its job. The onus is on the police justify the confidence by doing the right thing.
Currently, there is Operation Sweep. The Pond News is not against inter agency cooperation among security organisations. But this should not descend to the abysmal level of oppressing the citizens.
The police should thread carefully in settling intra and inter communal clashes.
Since the dawn of recorded history, insecurity has been part of humanity. Our appeal here is that it should be reduced to its barest minimum so that government without let or hindrance can minister to wealth and security of the citizens. We wish CP Aina Adesola all the best in his journey to make state safer for all.
