Following a holistic study of crime profile, scenes and vulnerable points in Edo State, the Commissioner of Police deployed in the state recently Mr Chris Ezike is to lead operatives of his command in a renewed war against criminals, their sponsors and collaborators in the state.
It was reliably gathered that the new CP, a refined operational police officer had on assumption of duty on Monday, September 7, 2015 painstakingly studied the handover note from his predecessor Mr Samuel Adegbuyi and thereafter led some senior officers on assessment tour of identified vulnerable and dark spots across Edo State.
In a brief remark at his takeover ceremony, CP Ezike stated that “Our job is nomadic, you move from place to place so what has just happened today is a part of a process of knowing Nigeria and re-engineering Nigeria.
“We shall rediscover Edo State, interact with our officers, all non state actors, the people of Edo State, small, big, male, female and then move the state forward.
“The whole essence is to have a more secure, a more peaceful Edo State for better prosperity”.
Until his recent posting, he was CP Rivers State where he assumed duty last June.
Before he became COMPOL Rivers, Chris Ezike had carried out special operation in Edo State. He led the IG’s Special Anti-Crime Task Force to fight cultism in Edo State.
That singular covert operation broke the wings of cultism and cult-related crimes as no fewer than 96 suspected cultists including leaders of cult groups were arrested, paraded and charged to court in Edo.
From Edo, the Inspector-General of Police Mr Solomon Arase moved Chris Ezike to Kogi state where a politician along with 44 others suspected to have connection with kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes were apprehended by his special squad. He has also headed the IG’s Monitoring Unit of the Police Counter terrorism Investigation Unit.
In demonstration of his assumed belief in the saying that the easiest and fastest way to control a people’s action is to control their thinking, the CP on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 interacted with officers and men of his command.
At the gathering, he unfolded his blueprint, expectations and challenges ahead, as they all started thinking and acting in his direction, which is, intelligence-based policing devoid of undue detention, harassment, molestation, extortion, torture and extra-judicial killings.
“As a team player and leader, I want to carry everyone along, so that we could pull together in one direction for efficiency and successful outcomes”. He noted.
During the address, the body language of the Command’s operatives gradually gravitated from catch am! Catch am!! Hold am! Hold am!! Beat am! Beat am!!, to intelligence-driven policing and violence-free operation.
In furtherance of his reorientation campaign, the CP on Monday, September 14, 2015 assembled Senior Officers, Area Commander’s, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Heads of Departments (HODs) at the police Officers Mess, GRA, Benin City where he lectured them on his mudus operandi.
Prior to that gathering, CP Chris Ezike met with the Chief Security Officer of the state Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, whom he lauded his statesmanship, passion and priority in security.
He however did not fail to thank the Comrade Governor and Edo people for the Grand Reception held for the Inspector-General of Police IGP Solomon Arase in Benin City on Friday, September 11, 2015.
The Comrade Governor had at the Grand Reception pledged to support the state police command with N200million.
He told operatives at the Police Officers Mess gathering that “this gesture however has imposed on me and the entire command a burden that we must deliver exemplary and uncompromising professional service to the state in line with vision and mission of the IGP Solomon E. Arase FDC, NPM.
“Under my watch therefore, we shall key into the Governor’s vision to provide security for the people of Edo so as to enable His Excellency drive the state to greater prosperity.
“Since my assumption of duty, I have studied the Hand-Over notes from my predecessor and also been in consultation with broad-based groups and individuals in the state with a view to appreciating the situation on ground and designing appropriate approaches/strategies in addressing them”.
According to CP Ezike, armed robbery, and cultism are notably the major security challenges in Edo State.
“These might not be peculiar to the state because an evaluation of the South-South geopolitical Zone’s crime profile shows that these incidents are noticeably prevalent in varying degrees across states in the area”. He stated.
The Police Commissioner went further to itemize vulnerable areas in the state to include Benin-Lagos Road by Ogbemudia farm, Benin-Oluku-Akure Road, Ore-Okada-Benin Highway, Isiuwa slope and Ovia River, Okpella-Okene Road by Ogugu Camp, Benin-Ehor Road by Ebute Link and Iruekpen, Benin-Agbor Road by Evbuobanosa, Uromi-Agbor Road by Igbanke and Ekpon, Ibillo-Ondo Isa Road, Ubiaja-Ewu/Ahia Expressway and Ubiaja-Ewohimi Road by Ella River.
On cultism, CP Ezike maintained that the activities of cultists appear to be the driving force to heinous crimes and disruptive social conduct.
“In all these, lives are lost, people are injured, property vandalized or lost, economic activities dwindled, and there is palpable fear in the polity as people are compelled to sleep with their two eyes open”.
The Police boss echoed his readiness to strengthen the traffic wing of the police command as poor traffic management within Benin metropolis impedes prompt and effective response to Distress Calls just as it provides opportunities for criminals or Street urchins to harass or attack motorists.
The areas where gridlocks are notable within Benin metropolis according to CP Ezike are; Ikpoba hill and Ikpoba hill market, Oba market, 3rd Junction, New Benin market, Ekewuan Road, Santana Market along Sapele Road, Ring Road, etc.
“The situation cannot be allowed to continue, I have therefore decided to take urgent pragmatic steps to tackle the menace”. CP Ezike vowed.
He promised to draft more personnel to the Traffic sections as the new personnel would undergo relevant orientation course for seven days before deployment.
They are also to partner with relevant Government Agencies to dismantle illegal motor parks and enforce “NO PARKING” rules at unauthorised places.
The highways and major streets would be cleared of broken down vehicles and other obstructions while enforcement and promotion of compliance with Traffic Laws and rules would reinvigorated.
“To ensure broad based participation and commitment, I will hold a meeting with the State Traffic Officer, all Divisional Traffic Officers and head of Traffic Wardens next Saturday, 19th September, 2015. The process will be a continuous one until we are able to get to a satisfactory level”. He assured.
On CP Ezike templates for “a more secure, a more peaceful Edo State for better prosperity”, high visibility policing, crime mapping, personnel Withdrawal and Manpower Redistribution, Intelligence-led policing, Response Time by Tactical Units, Conduct of Policemen, Inter-Agency Cooperation and Coordination, were outlined.
He said that in compliance with the Presidential directives to IGP to recover personnel posted to unauthorised individuals and entities, CP Ezike directed Début Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Area Commanders, O/C Police Mobile Force, O/C State Investigation Bureau and Divisional Police Officers to immediately commence the withdrawal process.
“The withdrawn men will be deployed to areas of core need and would form the bulk of men to support the visibility policing strategy.
“50% of Office personnel from Departments, Area Command and Division are to be reduced and posted out to police identified key and venerable points.
Modalities for their deployment and responsibilities would be conveyed as they are deployed, policing is not done in the office”. He maintained.
“When we fight crime and reduce crime, the issue of deployment to big men will cease. If the area is safe and secured do you have any need to follow big men?
“If you must partner and engage the community, your attitude has to change, if you seek friendship you must give friendship.
“If a member of the society is in Distress and he does not know the difference between Ugbor Police Station and Textile Mill Road Police Station, do not tell that person it is not in your jurisdiction. CP Ezike enjoined.
He called on the officers to be swift in their response to Distress Calls as nobody visits the police station to eat salad.
“Divisions are to respond to calls during distress, boundaries do not count. They must respond to assist, while making sure their primary areas of coverage are not left porous.
“We cannot be policing the external when the internal is porous”. Mr Ezike noted.
The CP in joining forces with the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government fight against corruption and corrupt practices decided to first look inward.
At the Police Officers Mess gathering on Monday, September 14, 2015, the COMPOL gave 48 hours ultimatum to corrupt officers of the state police command to change or be prepared to face the music.
“For officers who choose to fraternise with cult groups or even patronize criminals, within 48 hours to change your ways or I will have the courage to do the needful.
“If you are in this uniform you have no business with cultists, if you are in this uniform you have no business fraternising with criminals.
“The country cannot be beating anti-corruption drum, then you will be beating the drum backwards, the two cannot work. We must move in the same direction.
“Corrupt practices and corruption as a matter of fact have been the reason why public confidence is eroded in police force. We must learn to do things differently”.
Apparently convinced that the police command alone cannot achieve the security Eldorado it dreams for Edo State, CP Ezike expressed readiness to synergize and partner with other relevant sister agencies in the state.
“We shall in persecuting this crusade partner with the Armed Forces and all Security Agencies so as to engender cooperation and Coordination needed for effective and efficient Service delivery”. He stated.
He appealed to operatives of his command to sacrifice their comfort in pursuance of the crucial operations.
“Within this period, personnel will be restricted to their various Divisions, Stations and Posts. All annual and Casual Leave will be considered on compassionate grounds.
“Carrying out these crucial actions would entail enormous resources, hence the need for us to sacrifice our comfort to pursue the execution of our outlined Anti-Crime and Traffic Decongestion initiatives.
“I will personally lead in this regard and will participate in patrols, Raids, Visiting rounds and distress Responses. I expect members of the Management Team and other Senior Officers to follow suit.
“We must all work to reposition the command so that the public and all persons passing through the state from any part of the country would safely do so without trepidation”. CP Ezike emphasized.
He however appealed to members of the public to cooperate and collaborate with the police in the renewed onslaught against criminals, their sponsors and agents in the state.
Giving adequate support and useful information, no doubt, criminals and criminal elements in Edo State would in no distance time know the power of collective will.
