By Ayodele Abere
Ahead of this year governorship election in Ekiti State, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Abiodun Alabi, has advised the people of the State not to get themselves involved in any violent activities.
The CP who is an indigene of Ilawe-Ekiti in Ekiti South West Local Government Area of Ekiti State, gave the admonition while speaking with Ekiti Standard, at a dinner organised in his honour by His Royal Majesty, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi, the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti.
According to CP Alabi, “election will come and go. There are rules and regulations guiding the process. We should all abide by it and shun off all brigandage or violence so that we can have free and fair election. We should all play the game according to the rules”. He warned.
The security expert said, all security agencies that are involved in securing the country are doing their best to ensure that the country is secured, noting that security is everybody’s business which according to him should not be left for security agencies alone.
“If you harbour criminals and they are unleashing terror in your domain or territory, you are not being patriotic. But if you share intelligence and information with security agencies and spur them on time to meet the crime at the board, it will be beneficial to all of us”. Alabi said.
Speaking on State Police, the Commissioner stated that it is part of the policies of the current regime as he explained that the Federal Government has approved that police should ensure that community policing is entrenched by way of combating crimes which he said has been done, adding that policing has been brought to the grassroot by involving critical stakeholders at the community level.
Assuring people of their protection in giving useful information to the police, Alabi was of the opinion that as security personnel, when you keep on engaging the critical stakeholders in the community, you keep on having a constant touch with them by way of workshop and regular meetings.
“It’s a way of building trust and confidence in their minds that you need their cooperation and partnership. In the course of doing that, they will have confidence in the police and other security agencies and they will avail them the necessary information and intelligence they need to do their job”.
Describing the last ten years of Alawe of Ilawe on the throne, the Commissioner of Police, said it has been very remarkable and wonderful period, saying Alawe is a leader who leads with examples.
“He is accomodating and is somebody that has galvanized everyone in the town to ensure that we all work together for the development of the town. He has made several developmental strides in the last ten years. The town has been in peace and we don’t have any issue that could cause disunity or any violence”.
“Beyond that, he has been able to spur the youths of the town and all stakeholders at ensuring that they all play their part in developing Ilawe. He has done his best to ensure that there is peace in the town and Ekiti as whole especially when he was the Chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers in the State”. Alabi concluded.
In his remarks, HRM Oba Ajibade Alabi, said the dinner was organised for CP Abiodun Alabi, to celebrate his promotion to the rank of Commissioner of Police and his efforts at ensuring that crimes and criminalities are brought to the barest minimal as a serving Commissioner of Police in Lagos State.
Present at the dinner were; the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, CP Moronkeji Olusegun Adesina, Major General Yemi Adetayo and many other prominent sons and daughters of Ilawe-Ekiti with some friends and well wishers.
