Nigeria’s Security, Not Sole Responsibility Of Police, Says AIG Fayoade

The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, which includes Lagos and Ogun States and has its headquarters in Onikan, Lagos, AIG Adegoke Fayoade, has stated that all hands must be on deck to ensure Nigeria’s security.

He stated that the task should not be left to the police alone.

The police chief stated this in Lagos during a goodwill message at the 2024 annual lecture/award ceremony of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), with the lecture topic being ‘Justice System Administration and Insecurity In Nigeria: Challenges, Opportunities, and Solutions.’

The AIG urged Nigerians to work together to combat crime and make the country a safer place to live.

The AIG expressed concern about complainants’ reluctance to pursue their cases to prosecution, claiming that this hurts the justice system.

He stated that when such cases are prosecuted in court, they are frequently dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

“It is critical that we talk about the justice system because it affects the country. If our justice system is not effective enough, we will not experience rapid socioeconomic development.

“The justice system requires everyone’s efforts. It is not limited to the Justice Department. It requires everyone’s input. It is not just the police or the justice department. Each person has a role to play. There is a need for collaboration with the police.

He explained that collaboration could take the form of providing credible information to the police, as well as providing credible intelligence and logistics to help them operate effectively.

How do you collaborate? the AIG asked. “You help the police by providing credible information. By providing credible intelligence to police, they can conduct more effective operations.

“Other areas of collaboration include providing us with the necessary logistics to carry out our operations successfully. Members of the public, on the other hand, should ensure that court cases are followed up on.

“When cases are brought to court, the majority of complainants are hesitant and, at the end of the day, say they are no longer interested in the case.

“Our people should develop the idea of following up on their cases in court because if a case is brought to court and no one follows up, the matter will be dropped.”

He urged police officers handling cases to weigh in on the situation and see if parties could reach an amicable resolution in cases that were not too serious.

“I will also inform our officers that some of the cases that need to be resolved, such as landlord-tenant issues, have been brought to our attention. Officers should take the time to resolve this between the parties.

“Technology will also improve our justice system,” AIG Fayoade expressed.