Area ‘M’ Police Command inaugurates EPF
Following the directive of the Inspector- General of Police, IGP Idris Ibrahim, on the inauguration of Eminent Persons Forum (EPF), in all police commands and divisions in the country, the Area ‘M’ Police Command in Idimu area of Lagos, recently inaugurated the forum.
According to the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Command, ACP Akika Austin, the forum which drew persons from Gowon estate, Ipaja and Alimosho Council Areas is meant to promote community based policing by involving all stakeholders in policing the jurisdiction of the Command.
He said, “The Forum is coming at a time when security has become everybody’s business, instead of the police alone. The essence of using retired officers, businessmen and women, scholars, professional bodies and others in the community was in line with the Inspector General of Police’s vision of community policing which, he said, is the best approach in tackling crime and criminality in the society.”
He added that the Eminent Persons Forum is not, in any way, meant to clash with the existing Police Community Relations Committee but to leverage on the influential members of the community to be involved in fighting crime at the grassroots.
According to ACP Akika, “Eminent Persons should come out and stand firm to reject and completely put to a stop any societal menace within their neighbourhood. They are to work with the police so as to help fight crime, injustice and jungle justice in their domain.
“I want to emphasise that the whole essence of this forum is to have a better cooperation between residents in this area and the police, in order to work together as partners to ensure security of lives and properties.”
Akika also maintained that information sharing was sacrosanct in making the EPF a success in the area.
In Akika’s words, “Grassroots or community policing, requires information from men and women with influential background, people with high regards in the society, and that is why the police is inaugurating the forum to bring them closer in partnership with the police for national security.”
The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Gowon Estate division, Moshalashi, Festus Otabor, who was also present at the inauguration, expressed
He said the era of leaving police work for police officers alone is gone and that it is now the responsibility of every Nigerian and promised to work in harmony with the Forum to achieve results.
The sole Administrator of Mosan Okunola Local Government Development Area, Barrister Ogunwuyi, who was also present at the occasion tasked the executive members of the forum and the police to make the area a crime-free zone.
