Acting IGP Egbetokun assumes office
…Vows to make community policing work
The Acting Inspector–General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has officially assumed office.
Egbetokun is taking over the Force headquarters as the 22nd IGP after the immediate past IGP, Usman Baba, officially handed over to him at about 12noon.
President Bola Tinubu appointed Egbetokun as the new acting IGP alongside the Service Chiefs on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Vice President Kashim Shettima decorated him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Shortly after his decoration, the acting IGP declared war on all criminals and enemies of Nigeria.
Egbetokun said he felt like a Tiger and Lion ready to chase all criminals and Nigeria’s enemies.
Egbetokun vowed to make community policing work as he assumed office at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
IGP Egbetokun warned police officers that he won’t tolerate abuse of office, corruption and misconduct, saying commensurate stiff punishment await erring officers.
The new police boss also said he will, in the coming days and months, unveil his strategies and tactics to secure the country and protect Nigerians from all forms of security challenges including banditry and gunmen attacks.
IGP Egbetokun said the salaries of constables recruited sometimes ago are already being looked into and the salaries, arrears and allowances will be paid by month end.
According to him, every law-abiding citizen will be brought on board in the fight against crime under his watch. The new police chief stressed that human intelligence garnered from communities would be used alongside technical gathering of information to curb crimes.
“Apart from technical intelligence, we are also going to rely so much on human intelligence available in our communities. We are going to be proactive in our approach to solving our community problems,” he said.
As banditry, vicious herdsmen attacks, killings and abductions increase in Nigeria in the last couple of years, some state government and socio-political groups like the Afenifere and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo had clamoured for community policing to tackle peculiar security challenges in the localities. Prior to the 2023 elections, the groups also called for constitutional review to allow devolution of powers and decentralised policing system.
In 2020, six states in the South-West geopolitical zone jointly formed a regional security operation code-named Operation Amotekun, which has since been backed by law and operational in Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun and Osun states. Also, in 2021, five South-East state governments formed Ebube Agu and the regional security outfit has since been operationalised just as the Benue State Government in 2022 launched the Benue Guards.
