By Leonard Okachie
Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 9, Umuahia, Umar Sanda, has urged members of communities to collaborate with the police and other security agents, to ensure effective community policing in the South-East.
Sanda, who was represented by Dr Ifeanyi Emenari, DCP Zonal Criminal Investigation Department, Umuahia, made the call during a Stakeholders Dialogue on Security and Justice in the South-East, on Wednesday in Umuahia.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), in collaboration with Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).
He said that members of the community must have confidence and trust in the police as well as play their roles in entrenching good governance in their various localities.
The AIG also urged the civil society and other public opinion moulders to continue to do more in educating communities on obedience to the rule of law as an integral part of community policing.
Zanda said that the police had emplaced perfect accountability networks for any member of the community aggrieved by any police action to get instant redress.
According to him, the Complaint Response Unit(CRU) can be reached online within seconds, while Provost Offices, SERVICOM and X-Squard are in all police formations.
He said: “You can also seek audience with formation bosses.
“These are some of the offices established by the police to assist members of the public when in distress with regards to police actions or inactions.
“It is our view that much will be achieved in terms of policing the South-East, if communities on the zone key in to the reality of the present predicament.”
In a goodwill message, Mrs Uche Nwokocha, Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Abia, identified corruption, unqualified personnel, funding, lack of modern equipment and others as hampering police operations.
“But the greatest problem facing the Nigeria Police Force is shortage of quality personnel,” she said.
She reminded the participants that the essence of the dialogue was to find solutions and resolve the problem of security and justice in the South-East.
Earlier in a welcome remark, the Executive Director, RULAAC, Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma, said that the dialogue was part of one-year project on ‘Community Access to Justice and Criminal Justice Interactive Project’, being implemented by the centre.
He said that the project was aimed at promoting partnership between the police and citizens, as well as project the voices of communities affected by insecurity and enhance justice for the poor and most vulnerable.
Nwanguma said that the choice of the South-East for the dialogue was informed by the growing insecurity in the zone which manifested in condemnable attacks on police personnel and installations by sundry criminal groups.
NAN reports that the workshop had participants drawn from the civil society, media, police, judiciary and NHRC.(NAN) www.nannews.ng
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
