Christopher Oji
The Police said they have made adequate preparation to combat crime in Lagos and Ogu States.
 Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 2, Ahmed Iliyasu, at the weekend said the command has put measures in place to ensure crime-free Christmas celebration in the zone
Iliyasu gave the assurance during the investiture ceremony of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Adron Homes and Properties Limited, Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing, as the Grand Patron of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), South-West Zone, which took place at Onikan, Lagos.
 According to him, this would be achieved based on established renewed commitment of the committee and the force.
He noted that officers had been charged with duties in cognizance of flashpoints and highways towards ensuring a long- lasting crime-free zone.
“In terms of the Yuletide, people would enjoy the period without hindrances and with their eyes closed.
“Reviewing last year and this year, the difference is very different. There is a reduction of crimes and criminalities as far as this zone is concerned because of a renewed commitment.
“We have a national order. We have a local operation order. We have charged each commandant, each officer with particular duties to perform taking into cognizance all the highways, Ibadan-Lagos Expressway and other flash points.
“Policy architecture of Lagos and Ogun states is not new to me. I have the whole architecture at my palm. I know all the black spots. I know all the flash points. But, one thing I would tell you is that crime is dynamic. It is fluid. Crimes and criminals change their tactics and modes,” he said.
Iliyasu noted that the Nigeria Police is currently being technology-driven as scientific tools were being deployed to nip criminal activities in the bud, just as he disclosed that crimes had taken over cyberspace as criminals were hacking the assets of others.
“In view of that, the current national plan of the police is launching the police into the area of technology.
“Technology and scientific tools are now being deployed to ensure criminals are intercepted, trapped and dealt with accordingly, IRT, SARS and others are undergoing trainings and this is moved to each and every Zone in the country.
“Criminals have no hidden place because crime now is even taken place in the cyberspace. People are hacking into other people’s assets. People are stealing other people’s assets but you do not see them,” the police boss said.
Harping on the importance of the Investiture as it relates to community policing, Iliyasu noted that the security duty was returning to the people; hence, the rationale behind recognizing people who had been turning the wheels of policing in the community in the right direction.
He said that community policing strategy as approved by the Federal Government, as well as the Inspector General of Police (IG) supports operational strategies to be people’s based and democratic policies.
“The importance of today’s event is not far-fetched. You know now, not only nationally but also internationally, the issue of security and safety is returning back to people and the society. The public is the security of the nation and the security of the nation is the security of the public.
 “The template of community policing strategy as approved by the Federal Government, as well as the Inspector General of Police, is restructuring and directing all our operational strategies to be people’s based and democratic policies.
“All those who have hand in security are welcomed to be on board to ensure that this strategy is fully deployed and implemented. In this side of the world because of the long engagement we have been doing, we have micro units of police engagement.
“The people who are out there in the hinterlands- farmers and fishermen were really serious about changing the ethos and values of policing in Nigeria. That is what informed today’s engagement to recognize great people who are bringing up their resources and hands coming together to ensure we achieve a safer and most secured environment, especially in the zone 2 and generally in the South-West.