By Francis Sadhere, Warri
The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Aina Adesola, has commended the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, for sustaining peace in Uvwie Local Government Area, while calling for stronger collaboration to address the growing challenges of drug abuse, cultism and kidnapping in the area.
CP Adesola made the appeal when he led a team of officers on a courtesy visit to the palace of the monarch in Effurun as part of a familiarisation tour to the newly created Effurun Area Command.
During the visit, the police commissioner urged political actors and community leaders not to interfere in criminal investigations and prosecutions, warning that such actions could embolden criminals.
According to him, it is common in Nigeria for relatives of suspected criminals, including kidnappers and cultists, to move from one police station to another in attempts to influence investigations, sometimes resorting to social media blackmail to pressure officers.
He noted that such interference had not been prevalent in Uvwie, a situation he said might be partly responsible for the decline in criminal activities recorded in the area.
The commissioner also commended the monarch for establishing a palace security committee to monitor criminal activities within the community. He advised residents to pass information on criminal activities discreetly to the Area Commander or Divisional Police Officers (DPOs).
CP Adesola stressed the need for proper parental guidance, urging parents not to shield children involved in criminal activities. He said parents must discourage irresponsible behaviour and cited his upbringing as an example of how discipline from parents could help shape responsible citizens.
He also advised community leaders to properly screen commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as okada riders, noting that some of them collaborate with criminal elements in communities. The police commissioner further raised concerns about the involvement of criminal elements from neighbouring countries and the negative influence of social media in the rising trend of crime.
Responding, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, blamed the rising crime rate in communities on the declining respect for traditional institutions, which he said has weakened their ability to discipline erring youths and other criminal elements.
The monarch lamented situations where suspects arrested for crimes are later released, only to return and threaten individuals who reported them to security agencies. He also expressed concern over what he described as “many wrong things happening in society today.”
He further noted that traditional rulers who attempt to tackle crime in their communities are sometimes invited by the police for questioning, while the activities of some human rights groups have also made community-based crime control more difficult.
The monarch, however, stressed that crime would be easier to tackle if security agencies and traditional institutions worked closely together.
Earlier during a familiarisation visit to the temporary office of the Effurun Area Command, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the command, Aliyu Shaba, described Effurun as a strategic location within Delta State.
He noted that the area serves as the commercial hub of the state, with dynamic socio-economic activities and unique security challenges that require vigilance, professionalism and proactive policing.
ACP Shaba also commended the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom for his leadership and fatherly role in maintaining peace in the community. He said the monarch had consistently supported the police and had warned his chiefs not to interfere in police operations.
While pledging the loyalty of officers under his command, the ACP appealed for support in repairing the command’s Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), which he said had been grounded for a long time despite being a critical asset for high-risk operations and patrols in volatile areas.
He also called for the deployment of additional inspectors and rank-and-file officers to strengthen the operational capacity of the Effurun Area Command.
According to him, effective communication is vital in modern policing, particularly in coordinating patrol teams, responding promptly to distress calls and ensuring seamless information flow among officers and divisions within the command.
The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Aina Adesola, has commended the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, for sustaining peace in Uvwie Local Government Area, while calling for stronger collaboration to address the growing challenges of drug abuse, cultism and kidnapping in the area.
CP Adesola made the appeal when he led a team of officers on a courtesy visit to the palace of the monarch in Effurun as part of a familiarisation tour to the newly created Effurun Area Command.
During the visit, the police commissioner urged political actors and community leaders not to interfere in criminal investigations and prosecutions, warning that such actions could embolden criminals.
According to him, it is common in Nigeria for relatives of suspected criminals, including kidnappers and cultists, to move from one police station to another in attempts to influence investigations, sometimes resorting to social media blackmail to pressure officers.
He noted that such interference had not been prevalent in Uvwie, a situation he said might be partly responsible for the decline in criminal activities recorded in the area.
The commissioner also commended the monarch for establishing a palace security committee to monitor criminal activities within the community. He advised residents to pass information on criminal activities discreetly to the Area Commander or Divisional Police Officers (DPOs).
CP Adesola stressed the need for proper parental guidance, urging parents not to shield children involved in criminal activities. He said parents must discourage irresponsible behaviour and cited his upbringing as an example of how discipline from parents could help shape responsible citizens.
He also advised community leaders to properly screen commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as okada riders, noting that some of them collaborate with criminal elements in communities. The police commissioner further raised concerns about the involvement of criminal elements from neighbouring countries and the negative influence of social media in the rising trend of crime.
Responding, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, blamed the rising crime rate in communities on the declining respect for traditional institutions, which he said has weakened their ability to discipline erring youths and other criminal elements.
The monarch lamented situations where suspects arrested for crimes are later released, only to return and threaten individuals who reported them to security agencies. He also expressed concern over what he described as “many wrong things happening in society today.”
He further noted that traditional rulers who attempt to tackle crime in their communities are sometimes invited by the police for questioning, while the activities of some human rights groups have also made community-based crime control more difficult.
The monarch, however, stressed that crime would be easier to tackle if security agencies and traditional institutions worked closely together.
Earlier during a familiarisation visit to the temporary office of the Effurun Area Command, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the command, Aliyu Shaba, described Effurun as a strategic location within Delta State.
He noted that the area serves as the commercial hub of the state, with dynamic socio-economic activities and unique security challenges that require vigilance, professionalism and proactive policing.
ACP Shaba also commended the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom for his leadership and fatherly role in maintaining peace in the community. He said the monarch had consistently supported the police and had warned his chiefs not to interfere in police operations.
While pledging the loyalty of officers under his command, the ACP appealed for support in repairing the command’s Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), which he said had been grounded for a long time despite being a critical asset for high-risk operations and patrols in volatile areas.
He also called for the deployment of additional inspectors and rank-and-file officers to strengthen the operational capacity of the Effurun Area Command.
According to him, effective communication is vital in modern policing, particularly in coordinating patrol teams, responding promptly to distress calls and ensuring seamless information flow among officers and divisions within the command.
