The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), Annex Enugu, Kwazhi Dali, has solicited the support and collaboration of traditional rulers in Enugu State to strengthen the fight against insecurity in the country.
Dali, whose office covers the South-East and South-South regions made the request on Friday when he paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, HRM Igwe Samuel Asadu, in his palace at Edem-Ani Ogwugu Community in Nsukka Local Government Area of the state.
He said that engaging and collaborating with traditional rulers would help to proffer measures and strategies required to combat contemporary security challenges affecting the state and the country.
"It is in our tradition that when a senior police officer is deployed to a state, such officer is expected to pay a courtesy visit to authorities in the state which traditional institution is one of them.
"The essence of this visit is to identify and solicit collaboration with the leadership of traditional rulers in the state because we regard them as very important stakeholders in issues of security given their strategic position in every community and their proximity to the people.
"Policemen are not spirits, they need information to succeed, and without traditional rulers, we will not have information on what security challenges the people are facing in their different communities, so, partnering with them will open up communication channels for sharing and receiving vital security information.
"We are happy that security challenges in the zones under my watch are now under control, the people are well informed on why they should not take arms against the government," he said.
The AIG applauded the traditional ruler for engaging and taking the youths in his community away from the street through his various empowerment programmes, and urged other well-to-do Nigerian to emulate the philanthropist gestures of the royal father to help reduce crimes among the youths.
Responding, Igwe Asadu welcomed the police AIG and assured him that traditional rulers in the state would continue to collaborate and share necessary information with the police and other security agencies to ensure peace and security of the people.
"Security is everybody's business, and as such traditional rulers in Enugu State will continue to collaborate with police and other security agencies to ensure peace and security in the state," he said.
Asadu expressed appreciation to the federal government for siting the Southeast and South-south Geo-political zones FCIID Annex office in Enugu State, and pledged that traditional rulers in the state will give them the maximum cooperation as well as avail them with the necessary information that will help them in fighting crime, protecting lives and property.
"The traditional institution in the state will continue to do their best in assisting security agencies in performing their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property so that everybody will be safe in the country," he said.
The Chairman of Traditional Rulers Council in Enugu State commended Governor Peter Mbah whom he said since his assumption of office on May 29 2023 has put many measures and invested much in security to protect lives and property in the state.
"Enugu state is rated as one of the most peaceful states in the federation because of Gov Mbah's special attention to issues concerning security, this has attracted many local and foreign investors into the state," he said.
Among those who accompanied the AIG to the visit include SP Arum Godisgreat, the Police Public Relations Officer for FCIID Annex, Enugu, and Mr. Hassan Yahaya, Nsukka Police Area Commander.
No comments