The newly appointed Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi, on Tuesday charged the citizens on the importance of knowing their constitutional right to resist operatives on duty from unwarranted checking of their phones.
The Police boss said this during her maiden press conference held at the Force Headquarters, Ahmadu Bello Way, Ilorin, Kwara State Capital.
Adelesi, who cautioned police operatives in the state to desist from illegal and indiscriminate checking of innocent citizens’ phones said such acts would henceforth attract consequences.
“The officers will be effectively superintended to ensure they discharge their duties with a high level of professionalism while particular attention shall be paid to the protection and promotion of human rights of all.”
She also called on citizens to know their rights and fight for the same when confronted by operatives on illegal phone checking.
Adelesi, who is a first female Police Commissioner to work in the state said the command under her watch have identified some common crimes in the state and have come up with a strategy to tackle it.
“I am happy to observe that Kwara is noted for having a low crime rate. Despite the low crime rate, it is pertinent to state that the Command is not absolutely free from threats. Some of the identified threats are kidnapping, robbery, cultism and allied offences, intra and inter communal clashes as well as road traffic accidents (RTA).
“It is pertinent to bring to the notice of all that the emphasis of the Command under my watch shall be on crime prevention.
“Consequently, concerted efforts will be made to put in place and sustain strategies which reduces, avoid or eliminate victimization by crime or violence. Such strategies include intelligence gathering, intensified anti-crime patrols, cooperation and collaboration with sister security agencies, as well as deployment of Quick Response Squads.
“Existing efforts to cooperate and collaborate with the communities will also be enhanced since they are in good position to contribute to the policing of their environment. These strategies are aimed at preventing the occurrence of crimes by reducing opportunities and increasing the risks of being apprehended.
“Contemporary policing is IT-centric, thus urgent steps will be taken to improve on the employment of ICT as a veritable tool of reducing the probability of felons escaping apprehension. Efforts will therefore be intensified in collaboration with other relevant government, non-governmental agencies and the public to make crime unattractive and unprofitable.
She added that the Command will strengthen existing collaboration between the neighbouring states commands to to forestall felons from taking undue advantage of interstate boundaries to perpetrate criminal activities.
She assured that the Police will be civil but firm in discharging its statutory duties without fair or favor.
