The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba Alkali has commissioned the newly built model police station at Ibusa in Oshimili North LGA of Delta State, adding that his effort was necessitated by the need to bring the police and the community in synergy to tackle crimes and criminality in society.
The IGP who praised the imposing structure which is already 120 across the country in counting, affirmed that his dream had come through.
Alkali gave reasons for embarking on such projects across the country, hinting that it was intended to improve on the working environment of Police officers.
He also said the initiative was to move from analogue to digital and modern structures, maintaining that the building would help officers reflect on the vision of police force as a lead security agency in internal security affairs.
He said, “This is just a tip of the iceberg for what we desire to achieve in policing and police administration. It is an idea that I conceptualised to build police stations of same shape and pattern across the Federation. My dream has finally come to pass with this project.
“We want to mitigate and reduce crime to the barest minimum by having people who are ready to give their best because of what the job has provided. We intend to have the offices of the prototype police stations and official houses furnished.
“This project does not belong to the police but to the people of Ibusa and Delta. We need to take ownership and protect it.
“Ibusa is a volatile area but we also have law abiding citizens that we can work with to reduce crime within the environment. This police station here is strategic in the sense that it advertises itself for the state capital and other communities wishing for same thing, and of course, a point of reference in tackling crime and criminality.
“The police cannot police the entire country by its number alone, and that’s why the FG had approved and adopted community policing for effective discharge of police intelligence and crime prevention.
“I like what I saw at the airport, and that is the synergy among all the security agencies in the State through the Service heads. It should continue like that with a view to creating value in the fight against insecurity. The police remains the lead security agency in internal security. Banditry and other forms of criminal elements is a modern and senseless crime around us; we must commend the police for the effort they are making to reduce them to the barest minimum.
READ ALSO: Tinubu States Intention To Withdraw Police Escorts From VIPs
“You must understand that preparations are in top gear for the 2023 general elections. We should have a means to tell ourselves to allow Nigerians to vote who they want. Our votes should count.
“Those who are causing security scare by their security alert information are not helping us; if they want to, they should tell us rather than exposing it to the public. We live here, they came in as strangers and then they are telling the world about plans to attack Abuja without first telling us who are in charge of security. How has their coming into our country to issue security alert without first telling us helped us?
“It is understandable that we have the good, the bad and the ugly in police force. But we have very good ones among us, those who are winning award steadily for their uncompromising stance on corruption. My advice is that you must not allow primordial loyalty to drive your sense of duty as police officers and rank and file”, IGP Alkali admonished.
Earlier in his address of welcome, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Ari Mohammed Ali commended the IGP for the giant strides achieved in building the police station and police barrack in Ibusa and respectively across the couhtry.
He said like a father, IGP listens to the plights of his children, adding that such fatherly role had helped in wiping away the tears of majority of police men and women in Nigeria.
His words, “This project is monumental and has not been achieved by any IGP in recent times. It would spur us to our ultimate best in discharging our work to the public.
“The IGP has ensured that regular payments of gratuity to the families of dead police officers are kept constant since inception of his administration and of course regular salaries and allowances of officers paid as and when due. He has also provided kits for inspectors and rank and file. Nonetheless, the building of a subsidised low cost housing for officers is something worth celebrating”, CP Ari appraised.
It is believed that the IGP wants to bequeath a police that is disciplined, decent and focused as his legacy, hence he is bringing motivation into the system before he could wield the big stick on the bad eggs within the system.
The building according to the architectural and engineering designs, has anti bomb features, CCTV, solar back-up and residential quarters for the officers and men of the Division.
The opening ceremony of the Police Station was witnessed by the Member representing Oshimili North Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Pat Ajudua, the Chairman of Oshimili North Council, Hon. Innocent Esewezie, traditional chiefs of Ibusa, PCRC members and others too numerous to mention.
