By Oki Samson
To further strengthen the resolve and zeal of his men and officers, the Area F Commander, Lagos State Command, ACP Bayo Suleiman during the week visited the Makinde Police Division in Oshodi under the able leadership of CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
On this visit, the Area F Commander also encouraged security stakeholders and members of the community to keep faith with the Police and supply useful information which will nip crime and criminality in the bud.
Top stakeholders who attended the meeting included the policemen and officers of the Makinde Division led by the DPO, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu; the current O/C of NSCDC in Oshodi Division, CSC Bukunmi as well as the outgoing O/C of NSCDC in Oshodi; former President of Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN), Barr. Fred Odutola; CDA Chairman, Otunba Osho; members of the PCRC including Mrs. Fatima Hassan; among other stakeholders were in attendance.
After concluding the stakeholders’ meeting, the Area Commander paid a brief courtesy visit to the traditional ruler of the Oshodi neighborhood, Oba Adeshina, Elewu of Ewu.
In his address at the meeting, Area F Commander, ACP Bayo Suleiman said: ‘On behalf of Makinde division, I will like to thank you for the unalloyed support we have enjoyed since its creation and your continued support of this safe haven for all law-abiding citizens of this community.
Area F Command was created in 1993 with less than 100 personnel. Now we have 9 divisions. Area F is very strategic.
The area command has stayed by its mandate, mission, and vision for zero tolerance for crime and corruption and respect for human rights.
We assure of training and retraining of our personnel for crime detection, crime prevention, and community engagement.’
‘May I cease this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to our Gov. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and Lagos State Government for the moral and logistics support we have enjoyed.
I would also appreciate the invaluable contribution of our amiable, dynamic IGP Kayode Egbetokun who during the short time of appointment have helped to reposition the Nigeria Police for better policing.’
Welcoming the Area F Commander, the DPO of Makinde Division, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu remarked: ‘It is my honour to welcome our amiable, highly dedicated, highly revered, quintessential leader, ACP Bayo Suleiman to Makinde Division on your familiarization visit. Makinde Division is a very large division.
It shares boundary with the Airforce barracks, Aswani division, Ajao estate, Mosafejo division, and Shogunle.
When you mention Oshodi, this is the heartbeat of Oshodi. We assure you of our unalloyed commitment to you ACP, the CP, and the IGP.’
‘Makinde division is relatively peaceful because of your able leadership and guidance and swift action.
It won’t be peaceful without the support and understanding of the public especially the members of the PCRC.
It won’t also be peaceful without the synergy of the sister organisations.
It won’t be peaceful without the support of strategic partners like the CDA.
When we came on, robbery was prevalent especially along Oshodi expressway particularly around Airport road. Since then we have not recorded any armed robbery incident.
This won’t be possible without the cooperation of men and officers of the division.’
‘However the division has its own challenge which is not peculiar to the division and are not insurmountable.
Of note is the challenge of cultism. We don’t have ethnic crisis, bank robbery, student restiveness’, NAOSNP gathered.
The former President of Bible Society of Nigeria, Barr. Fred Odutola shared: ‘I want to appreciate the PCRC in the sense that they are involved in the security of this community.
For the DPO, he has that good relationship maybe because he has background in PR. For the Police, don’t let anybody despise you, you are doing your job. We appreciate the ACP, thank you for coming. God bless you in Jesus name.’
‘In saner climes, nobody is above the law. When we keep the law, it is good for us.
In London, at 65 they call me elder.
For PCRC, let us interact with parents, area boys have fathers and mothers.
This is a case of delinquency. Gangsterism is a negative thing all over the world. We all grew up in this area, we were troublesome but not criminally minded.’
The Secretary of PCRC Makinde division told the ACP, ‘The issue we are having is cultism.
Some call themselves Aiye, some say they are Eiye. They attack themselves.
Let PCRC receive more recognition.
Also make sure that officers who are doing well are recognized.’
In his response to the community, NAOSNP can report that ACP Suleiman addressed police officers, ‘if you do well you will go home and relax noting that you have had a great day’ as he beckoned on sister agencies in Oshodi for more collaboration as he thanked them for time past.
He added: ‘On the issue of policemen around Ewenla road waiting for people to commit crime, I want to plead with PCRC in this area to liaise with the PCRC in that area while I take the issue of policemen up.
On the issue of cultism, you might not notice but we have a section for cultists, they are working now.
The CP is worried about this issue.
So don’t complain about the issue again, get the information, get their location right, get in touch with the DPO, we will know what to do about it. Sooner than later, it would be a thing of the past.