Felix Mbata, Lagos State
THE SEARCHLIGHT Initiative Nigeria, a non-governmental organization, recently hosted a Peace Advocacy Summit in Lagos, focusing on effective crime prevention and control through intelligence gathering and community policing.
The occasion of the workshop/sensitization for 500 functional volunteer members on “Intelligence gathering” for Effectiveness Policing on the nooks and crannies of the various states to the appropriate authorities in line with the aims and objectives in collaboration with Police College, Ikeja, Lagos State.
The summit, attended by dignitaries including the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and traditional rulers, emphasized the importance of community involvement in crime prevention.
According to the Director General of THE SEARCHLIGHT Initiative Nigeria, Prince Akinloye Ogunmodede, community policing is crucial in addressing security challenges, as it enables the police to build ties with community members and gather intelligence to prevent crime.
He said that the organization aimed to promote communal peace, patriotism, and security awareness through intelligence gathering and community-driven initiatives.
The Inspector General of Police was represented by the Acting Commandant, Police College, Ikeja, Lagos, DCP Jubrin Garba Gane, (Deputy Commissioner of Police) Police College.
He noted that over the years, it has always been assumed to be a reserved responsibility of the Nigeria Police and other security agencies.
“It is, however, unfortunate that 370,000 Police Personnel in the country who are policing over 200 Million Nigerians can only achieve this through the contribution to civil society and volunteer groups like ours.
Through Intelligence Gathering led by – Community Policing, and ‘Promoting the Path to a Peaceful and Secured Nigeria.
This summit brings together Royal Father, Security Agencies, and all other strategic stakeholders and resource persons to brainstorm on measures to strategies required to combat contemporary security challenges affecting this greater state and the country Lagos and Ogun States of peace advocacy and security summit is coming at a crucial time when the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of indefatigable IGP Kayode Egbetokun, on the engagement of the concept of community partnership and intelligence-led by community policing mitigating the current internal security challenges in the country.
The young men and women who have volunteered to strengthen the noble ideal and project cannot thank you enough; Security is a big project; it is within the spirit but must activated by people. It is everybody’s concern and should not be left in the hands of the government alone.
I want to especially express my appreciation to the heads of security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force and NPF Community Policing Agenda, who have given us every necessary support to achieve our aim and objectives.
It is with great pleasure that I stand here today to welcome you from far and near to this august gathering for the sustainability of democracy, development, and security of the above subject matter to promote the spirit of patriotism in Nigeria through security awareness and dissemination of useful information through intelligence gathering concerning security breaches to the appropriate authorities and to encourage community-driven initiatives towards crime detection as well as foster communal efforts at crime prevention. Lawlessness worsened security challenges in Nigeria.
It is a method of policing that focuses on the police building ties and working closely with the members of the communities. It is predicated upon the belief that members of the community know themselves and can easily fish out the criminals in their midst by providing and giving useful information to the police/authorities.
Intelligence-led policing: It is a tactical method of implementing strategies of community policing, i.e.,, the practice of gathering data and using it to guide operations and resource deployment. It is one of the most effective methods of drastically reducing crime.
With Intelligence-led policing, security agencies can examine data, make specific decisions, and prevent further crimes. Intelligence-led policing supplies information to security agencies about criminals and their hideouts, which leads to the arrest of criminals before they can carry out nefarious activities.
Community Policing: is an attempt to involve the community as an active partner with the police in addressing crime in the community. It is said that community policing can play a vital role in reducing crime and criminality in the community.
Community policing mandates the police to work with the community, not against it. To be effective, community policing must have its emphasis on openness and partnerships with the people.
The criminals have formed communities, and the communities know them better than the government does. Community members are expected to help their people working with security agencies who are vested with the responsibilities of maintaining law and order, detecting as well as preventing crime. The community members work together with the security agencies.