NUJ Tasks Delta Police Commissioner on High Rate of Crimes

By Miracle Enuji

The Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ Delta State Council, has charged the new Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa to rid the state of all forms of crimes and criminality including highway extortion by Police Officers.

The journalists body made this charge on Thursday, January 16, during a courtesy visit of the Police boss to the leadership of the NUJ at the state secretariat in Asaba.

Welcoming the Commissioner of Police, the state chairman, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu expressed delight at the humility of the Commissioner noting that in the past two years in which the state command had witnessed Five Commissioners, CP Inuwa is the first to visit the NUJ.

While intimating the CP of the prevailing crimes in state, Ikeogwu queried the excessive number of Police check points which he asserted has become a menace and an avenue to extort motorists rather than checkmating the flow of arms, movement of kidnappers and transportation of illegal bunkered petroleum products.

Comrade Ikeogwu however assured the Police Commissioner of the council’s cooperation, urging him to regularly engage the press in interaction for proper reportage. “We will give you the needed cooperation because of the respect and honour you have for us”.

Speaking, the CP Hafiz Inuwa said he was at the secretariat to familiarize with journalists and to also seek their cooperation and understanding as the affairs of policing is not exclusive to Nigeria Police but a joint effort of all stakeholders.

“As the watchdog of the society, you should assist me in carrying out my duties. In the course of our duty, we also face challenges, we will continue to do our best.”

Appreciating the role of journalists in informing the public on the activities of the Police, the CP assured that in the discharge of his duties in the state, everyone will be carried along in line with the IGP’s policy of community policing in order for the people to build trust with the Police and other security agencies.

He promised to partner with the traditional rulers, community leaders and vigilante groups in deepening community policing as they were the closet to the society. “When I came in, I was briefed of the prevailing crimes in the state; armed robbery, kidnapping, murder and cultism, and I knew that community policing is the best way to go”.

He disclosed that in less than two weeks of assumption, the Police command has foiled attempted robberies, recovered of over 10 ammunition and made many arrests, saying “we are taking the war to them”.

On the recent killings in the state, CP Inuwa appealed to journalists not to heat up the polity by insinuating that the killings are politically motivated. “Let us not ascribe any killing to political parties, let us not heat up the polity. The more a crime is ascribed to a political party, the more the opponents flare up”.