Okpalaume Mary, Sapele
The Police Community Relations Committee and the Police Officers Wife Association have prayed the Delta State commissioner for Police, Alkali Baba Usman, to immediately respond to the plight of police officers and their families in Sapele Police Division.
The groups listed among other things the need for more patrol vehicles, more police officers and traffic wardens, and the renovation of the antiquated and dilapidating police barracks.
They made this call when the wife of the commissioner and chairperson, Deta State chapter of the Police Officers Wife Association (POWA), Mrs. Memuna Alkali Baba Usman visited the Sapele Police Division.
While decrying the outmoded state of the Sapele police barracks which they said has not received good maintenance since it was built in the 1940s, the group called on the Police Service Commission and the commissioner to embark on renovation works to make the place habitable for the police officers and their families.
Also, the divisional police officer of Sapele, CSP Mamman Sale Rijau confirming the plight of the officers lamented that the non availability of suitable accommodation has pushed many officers to rent accommodations in town which he said consequently affect their overall performance. He also stressed on the need for more patrol vehicles for the division as Sapele division covers a large area.
Responding, the chairperson of POWA, Mrs. Usman who encouraged the police officers to continue to fight crime in the country urged their wives to be good ambassadors, bringing up their children to be good people in the society.
While promising to relate the issue with her husband, Mrs. Usman however called on members of the community to assist in meeting the needs of the police officers and their families saying that the government and police service commission cannot solve the problem alone.
