The Assistant Inspector General of Police Ari Mohammed Ali, Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos paid a familiarisation visit to the Lagos State Police Command headquaters on Monday 26th, he was welcomed by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa alongside with other senior officers and the DPO’s.

 

The senior officers and DPO’s of the Command assembled at the officers mess ikeja for a lecture, where the AIG exhorted them to inculcate discipline and make it a priority that will effect their conduct and revamp the image of force in the limelight.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Idowu Owohunwa in his speech while welcoming the AIG Zone 2, eulogized him, he said.

“I welcome the very amiable AIG Ari Muhammed Ali, needs no introduction as Lagos State is concerned, you are the most authoritative, credible encyclopedia of Lagos State Policing, you are indispensable in dynamic of policing and challenges of Lagos, you have been through the rank of the system that made a remarkable impact in Lagos.

AIG Mohammed Ari Ali who had served in many formations of the force in Lagos including DCP (Operations) Lagos Police Headquarters; Area Commander, Area B; Area Commander, Area C; and DPO of Denton Division. AIG Zone 2 is well conversant  with the terrain of  lagos State Policing.

Owohunwa speaking further.”The template we are following in terms of crime management with all sense of responsibility is the legacy you have left behind in your capacity as the DCP Operation in Lagos State. The heart of Lagos policing is the heart of operations, it would be long that framework of operational component can be altered from that Foundation that you have lied down.

 

The staff you have left behind, those driving the operation of the state are still the same operational officers driving the operation activities of the State driving with excellence.”

CP Owohunwa While commending the officers, “The DPO’s and officers can be described as the best with total confidence you can wish for in any part of the country combined with their resilience, understanding dynamics of policing and contentment to their duties, also with their supports we have been able over recent months to stabilise the internal security order of the State, this I assure you would be sustained.

“We have challenges in crime management, the challenges today the highest in crime are in three categories:

1. Cultism

2. High trafficking of firearms

3. Gender/ Domestic violence.

Identifying these challenges there are strategies to address them.

Firsty, Cultism- We have re-engineered our response architectures setting up tactical units, particularly those were initially based at the Headquarters, we have discentralized their operations gave them a new orientation, they are tackling  headlong, we sent them to Area Commands that are most distressed through these efforts they have been able to effectively coordinate the Area Commands, Divisions impacted massively on the rate of consequences of cultism in the state.

He added, ” I am glad to inform you that between February -June we have apprehended nothing less than 120 cultists, 60 firearms of different descriptions linked to cultism recoved, frequent parading of Cultists to note that the Command under our watch will not relax and allow misguided elements under the pretence of cultism to threaten the external security order of the state. We will continue to sustain it till they choose to renounce cultism or relocate.

Secondly, he emphasised that firearms is a great concern that virtually on daily basis patrol officers  recover firearms locally, fabricated and even foreign. CP Owohunwa said ” That menace must be retrained.
What are the sources of these firearms? Is it because of boundaries with neighbouring countries or where the state is located?”our approach is get to the depth of the sources with the view of restraining propagation.”

Thirdly, he stressed on Gender violence. “To re-restructure our gender unit in collaboration with the office of the first lady, sexual violence unit of the Lagos state Command, NGOs, strategic stakeholders initiated in remodelling to give a more benefiting space for them to train men and women, so that they can have the facilities to effectively respond to victims.”

CP Owohunwa used the opportunity to appeal to AIG Ali to come to the aid of the command in the area of logistic, “We humbly require your fatherly support, we have issue of logistics that we need for training to enhance our capacity in the area to combating crime.”

AIG Ari Muhammed Ali officially visited the Lagos State Police Command for the first time ever since he assumed office as Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2 (Lagos and Ogun states), he however assured Lagosians that his men and officers in Lagos Command are competent of policing the state.

Ali stated that the purpose of meeting with the Police officers is to revamp the security architecture of the state with the perspective of making it more robust.

He extolled the officers of Lagos Command, “The officers are performing tremendously but there is always room for improvement so that we can ensure that criminals are totally eradicated in the state

He said “Lagos and Ogun States won’t be hideouts for criminals and kidnappers, in Lagos Command, we believe in proactivenes not reactive policing. My men are everywhere networking with members of the public to get information before any daredevil will strike or wreck havoc in Lagos, we would have foiled their plans before executing it.

“That is the reason why you see our officers either in uniform or mufti combing the city.’ AIG Zone 2 added that, the police are working in synergy with other security agencies to combat crime in the state.”

While fielding questions from the journalists on the audaciousness of daredevils who took advantage on festive moments to launch attacks. Reacting to the question, he said the Nigerian Police under his areas of responsibilities are equal to the task.

Furthermore, some of the newly promoted officers who were decorated
with their new ranks of Deputy Commissioners of Police, were in charge of various Area Commands in Lagos are; DCP Omole Ola, DCP Sagir Ismail, DCP A.A Shika, while Ogunsakin Gbenga and Uduak F. were decorated with new their new ranks of Assistant Commissioner of Police.

      The newly decorated officers.

AIG Ali has charged all Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers attached to the Command to be disciplined. “Area Commanders and the Divisional Police Officers must be disciplined.

     The newly decorated officers.

In addition, the Junior officers should hold their superiors in high esteem so as to work together as a team with the common goal of eradicating crime in the state.