Community respect vital to policing success, PCRC says in Ondo

By Boye Oyeyemi –

The Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) has urged Nigerians to accord police officers dignity and respect to enable them to perform their duties more effectively.

The National Chairman of the PCRC, Alhaji Ibrahim Mogaji, made the appeal in Akure during a leadership training and conference for members in the South-West zone.

Mogaji said police officers are public servants entrusted with the protection of lives and property and should be encouraged rather than treated with disdain.

He explained that the conference, themed “Inclusivity and Diversity: The New Leadership Paradigm,” was aimed at strengthening PCRC leadership and boosting support for crime-fighting efforts.

The PCRC chairman noted that the forum also provided an opportunity to appreciate Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Inspector-General of Police, the AIG Zone 17 and the Ondo State Commissioner of Police for their support.

Human rights advocate, Comrade Yinka Folarin, stressed the need for trust and cooperation between the police and the public to make community policing effective.

Represented by the AIG Zone 17, Dr Ajani Musibau, the Inspector-General of Police reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to community policing, describing security as a shared responsibility.

The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Adebowale Lawal, said community intelligence had helped prevent bandit infiltration into the state, while Governor Aiyedatiwa pledged continued support for the police and the PCRC.