The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, has approved a plan for the Police Command in Anambra State to train local security outfits on professionalism.
The initiative aims to enhance security effectiveness and strengthen collaboration between local security groups and the Nigeria Police.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this yesterday in an interview in Awka.
Ikenga explained that the state’s security outfits required reformation to align with modern security practices.
“The command needs to work effectively with the state-owned security outfits to achieve success in the overall security network,” he said.
“These officers are local, so they possess valuable information for the police. They also have deep knowledge of their communities and understand the terrain better than the police. Training them will produce greater results.
“We have to overcome the conspiracy of silence among the people, where useful information is withheld from the police for fear of the unknown, making police work more difficult.
“The police need to train local security officers on the principle: ‘If you see something or hear something, say something,’ and they, in turn, will pass it on to their communities to enhance neighbourhood watch,” he added.
Ikenga also noted that the police were preparing for the governorship election scheduled for November 8 in the state. He said that providing local security officers with adequate basic security training would reduce conflicts between them and the public.
The PPRO emphasised that following basic security guidelines, including proper public conduct and the application of instinctive intelligence, is key to maintaining security balance in the state.
“When essential skills are missing in security officers, preventable altercations may occur and escalate into unlawful acts,” he said.
Ikenga further stressed the importance of proper orientation on social behaviour and respect for human rights to avoid infringing on public rights, noting that failure in this regard could trigger unrest and undermine effective policing.
