The Nigeria Police Force has called for stronger collaboration among communities, traditional institutions, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to address security challenges in Nasarawa State and across the country.

Isyaku Mohammed, deputy inspector-general of police (DIG) in charge of training and human development and coordinating DIG for the North-Central zone, made the call at a stakeholders’ engagement on Monday in Lafia during his visit to the Nasarawa State police command.

Mr Mohammed said the inspector-general of police (IGP), Tunde Disu, was committed to ensuring the security and well-being of Nigerians and police personnel across the country.

He said the IGP had deployed all deputy inspectors-general to the six geopolitical zones to assess the security situation, review crime-fighting strategies and obtain feedback from state commands on operational and logistics requirements.

According to him, security agencies cannot effectively tackle crime without the support and cooperation of communities and other stakeholders.

“There is no better security strategy than one that involves the people and the community working together to identify and address threats before they escalate,” he said.

The DIG urged residents to provide timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that no piece of information was too insignificant in preventing crime.

He also called on communities to reject criminals and their support networks, noting that many criminal activities succeeded because offenders received shelter, logistics and information from members of the public.

Mr Mohammed further emphasised the need for youth mentorship, urging parents, schools, religious institutions and community leaders to discourage young people from engaging in cultism, drug abuse and other criminal activities.

He assured stakeholders that the police hierarchy remained committed to improving professionalism, strengthening public trust and addressing cases of misconduct among officers.

The DIG said the IGP was particularly concerned about the country’s security situation ahead of forthcoming general elections and had directed police formations nationwide to ensure a safe environment for citizens to exercise their civic rights.

Earlier, Shetima Mohammed, commissioner of police in Nasarawa State, said the command had intensified intelligence-led policing and tactical operations to address emerging security threats across the state.

He identified kidnapping, armed robbery, cattle rustling, illegal possession of firearms and the activities of criminal gangs in forest and border communities as some of the major security challenges confronting the state.

The commissioner said the command had established strategic stop-and-search points, tactical deployments and safer highway patrol operations in identified flashpoints to deny criminals freedom of operation.

According to him, from January to date, the command arrested 35 suspects for offences including kidnapping, cultism, arson and illegal possession of firearms, while 17 kidnapped victims were rescued.

He added that operatives also recovered 13 firearms, including three AK-47 rifles, 11 rounds of ammunition, five vehicles, three motorcycles, 214 cattle and 27 sheep linked to criminal activities.

Mr Mohammed, however, identified inadequate operational logistics, difficult terrain, interstate criminal movements and the need for improved surveillance technology as some of the challenges facing the command.

Stakeholders at the meeting, including representatives of the emir of Lafia,  Muhammad Sidi-Bage; Isyaka Dauda; Mandy Abuluya, state chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC); religious groups; and transport unions, pledged continued support to the police in tackling insecurity across the state. 

(NAN)