Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu has tasked traditional rulers in Abia State on the need to be fully involved in community policing to reduce the crime rates in their domains.
Adamu gave the task in Umuahia, the Abia state capital yesterday during the inauguration of the State Community Policing Advisory Committee (SCPAC) and State Community Policing Committee (SCPC).
Represented by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in charge of ICT, Adamu said as the chief security officers of their domains, the monarchs owed their subjects and government the duty of ensuring peace was maintained at all times in their communities.
The IGP said since community policing entails policing of a given community by members of that community, it behoves on the traditional rulers to use their subjects optimally in this direction.
Adamu implored the monarchs to make use of the age grade system in that part of the country and the local vigilante to police their communities, while they would hand over suspects to the police.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu underscored the need for people of the state to protect their lives and property,stressing that they should always cooperate with the police.
Ikpeazu promised that his administration would always assist the police in its bid to fight crime in the state.
He condemned the idea of giving information out to the police and nothing will be done with it.
The state commissioner of police, Mrs. Janet Agbede and the chairman of the traditional rulers council, Eze Joseph Nwabekee are co-chairpersons of SCPAC, while a representative of the commissioner of police and deputy chairman, state council of traditional rulers, Eze Harry Ugoala would co-chair the SCPC.