Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has expressed dissatisfaction at the dilapidated state of the main auditorium of Prof. Dora Akuyili Women Development Centre, Awka.
The governor represented by his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, spoke during the flag off of community policing sensitization campaign by the Anambra State Police Command at the centre in Awka.
The governor specifically expressed dissatisfaction at the poor lighting in the auditorium and directed the authorities concerned to fix the lights.
Speaking on the community policing, the governor gave directive to all landlords in the state to document full details of their tenants.
According to him, the documentation is another way of keeping eyes on everybody around.
He said the community must take charge of their immediate environment as the police and government cannot be at all nooks and crannies of the state at the same time.
The governor said the community policing has been part of Igbo culture, where the youths take charge of the security in the communities, thereby protecting lives and property.
“We want our youths to be actively involved in this community policing, the fight against crimes in the state. We want all the traditional rulers in the state to mobilise their people for this community policing because they are closer in the various communities. The president of various communities should also join hands in this community policing in order to achieve maximum results and secure our communities”, he said.
He also said the recent security challenges arising from the EndSARS protest really showed the need for community policing.
Speaking at occasion, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 13, Alhaji Danmallam Mohammed, called on the various communities to support the community policing, saying that the concept was the cooperation of members of the communities to make sure crimes are reduced.
He called on the residents to give full support to the initiative as the police alone cannot fight crime without the locals.
In his remarks, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP John Abang, said the campaign was meant to create security consciousness in the various communities, especially during the Christmas period .
He said the goal of the campaign was to take security consciousness campaign to all nooks and crannies of the state.