Mohammed Adamu, acting inspector general of police says there is an upsurge in crime in Nigeria following the conclusion of general elections in the country in March

MOHAMMED Adamu, acting inspector general of police, IGP, has reminded the men of the Nigeria Police Force that as strategic  managers, their professional competence is measured by their capacity to dissect the trends and patterns of crimes within their area of jurisdiction. It is also measured by there ability to

develop and modify crime management strategies and deploy their  human and material assets towards achieving a stable security order.

The IGP stated this at the meeting with strategic police managers in Abuja on Thursday, April 11, called principally to discuss the current internal security situation across the country and evaluate our strategies with a view to evolving new approaches that will be potent enough to effectively mitigate these threats.

The meeting was also to review the progress so far made by the recently launched Operation Puff Adder which was emplaced as a short-term operational response to the resurgence of kidnapping, armed robbery, armed banditry and sundry heinous crimes in some parts of the country.

According to Adamu, “criminal records point to a significant rise in crime following the conclusion of the general elections. While some security experts have attributed the trend to the disengagement of the criminal elements from politically-related activities for which they might have been engaged during the elections, others have attributed the trend to socio-economic factors.

He said: “While the debate on the cause of the upsurge in crime could be a subject of debate or academic conjecture, what remains undebatable is the fact that the primary and statutory duty of the Nigeria Police as the lead agency in internal security framework, is the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of our internal security order.

“This places on us the responsibility of assuring the citizens of their safety and security without any form of excuses. It also challenges us to rededicate ourselves to our statutory duties, constantly review our law enforcement strategies and re-order our policing priorities towards stemming the tide of crime. It is within this context that this meeting was summoned.”

He emphasised  that as strategic police managers, your professional competence is measured by your capacity to dissect the trends and patterns of crimes within your area of jurisdiction, develop and modify crime management strategies and deploy your human and material assets towards achieving a stable security order.

Said he,  “While some of you have demonstrated a very high and commendable level of professional competence which has manifested in the moderation of crimes in your commands, unfortunately, the professional proficiency and sense of commitment to duty of some others are being called to question in the face of inappropriate response to threats of crimes in their jurisdictions. The current security realities in the country have made this trend intolerable.

“Consequently, I charge you all, as you return to your various commands, to renew your sense of commitment to duty and demonstrate requisite professional leadership needed to roll-back the current unacceptable trend of crimes in your commands.  In so doing, you must have the knowledge to see things differently, wisdom to think differently and courage to act creatively. Because as noted by Albert Einstein, you cannot be ‘doing the same thing over and over and expect different results’. The dynamics of crime should task you to evolve new thoughts and new approaches to crime management. Your ability to this is what defines you as a professional and an experienced police manager.”H

He urged them to  return to their  commands to evaluate and coordinate actions directed at overhauling your current crime control structure and strategies being conscious that the current security challenges represent a test on their leadership ability.

“You must learn to crime-map your jurisdiction and harness the strength within to neutralize all forms of crimes and security threats,” he said.

He said the only wayto stay ahead of criminals is to continually generate actionable criminal intelligence to support our anti-crime functions. “This can only be achieved if we cultivate citizens’ partnership and confidence by returning policing to the people. Consequently, in reviewing your current strategies, you must fully engage the two core policing policies of the current police dispensation which are built on community policing and intelligence-led policing values. While we at the apex leadership level will strive to support and motivate you, we shall, henceforth, not hold back in sanctioning any officer whose dereliction or weak leadership capacity continually occasions increase in crimes.”

He listed the achievements of Operation PUFF Adder to include arresting 46 kidnapping suspects and armed bandits, killing of 10 suspects in operation, safely rescuing two victims; recovering 18 (9 AK 47 riffles and other locally fabricated/automatic weapons;

recovery of 47 ammunition  along with 28 live cartridges and 10 extra riffle magazines.

– Apr. 11, 2019 @ 04:05 GMT |