EFFURUN/Nigeria: The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Aina Adesola, has commended the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, JP, OON, for sustaining peace in the kingdom, while calling for deeper collaboration between traditional institutions and security agencies to tackle rising cases of drug abuse, cultism and kidnapping.
Adesola made the call during a courtesy visit to the palace of the monarch in Effurun as part of his familiarisation tour of the newly created Effurun Area Command. He urged political actors and community leaders to refrain from interfering in criminal investigations and prosecutions, warning that such actions often embolden criminals and weaken law enforcement.
According to the police commissioner, it has become increasingly common for families of suspected criminals to attempt to influence investigations through pressure and social media campaigns.
“It is only in Nigeria that you see families of criminals, kidnappers and cultists moving from one police station to another, attempting to influence police officers through blackmail on social media in order to bend the law,” he said.
Adesola, however, noted that the Uvwie Kingdom has largely been free of such interference, a situation he said may have contributed to the noticeable decline in criminal incidents within the local government area.
The commissioner also praised the monarch for establishing a palace security committee to monitor criminal activities within the community. He advised residents and community leaders to channel sensitive security information discreetly to the Area Commander or Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) to ensure prompt action.
He further stressed the critical role of parents in guiding their children along the right path, urging families not to shield or support children involved in criminal activities. Drawing from personal experience, the commissioner recalled how his mother disciplined him whenever he stepped out of line during his upbringing.
Adesola also called on community leaders to properly screen commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as okada riders, warning that some of them collaborate with criminal elements within communities. He raised concerns about the activities of criminal networks linked to neighbouring countries and the growing influence of social media in the spread of crime among youths.
Responding, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, blamed the rising crime rate on the declining respect for traditional institutions, which he said has significantly weakened their ability to discipline erring youths and criminal elements within their domains.
The monarch lamented that in several cases, suspects arrested for criminal offences are later released, only to return and threaten those who reported them to security agencies.
“There are many wrong things happening in society today,” the monarch said, expressing concern over situations where traditional rulers who attempt to combat crime in their communities are sometimes summoned by the police or confronted by certain human rights groups, thereby complicating local security efforts.
He stressed that stronger cooperation between security agencies and traditional institutions would significantly improve efforts to combat crime and restore order in communities.
Earlier, during a visit to the temporary office of the newly established Effurun Area Command, the Area Commander, ACP Aliyu Shaba, described the command as strategically important due to Effurun’s status as a commercial hub in Delta State with dynamic socio-economic activities and unique security challenges.
Shaba commended the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom for his leadership and fatherly role in maintaining peace in the area, noting that the monarch had consistently supported security agencies and warned his chiefs against interfering with police operations.
While pledging the loyalty of officers under his command, the Area Commander appealed for the repair of the command’s Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), which he said had been grounded for a long period despite being a critical asset for high-risk operations and patrols in volatile areas.
He also called for the deployment of additional inspectors and rank-and-file personnel to strengthen the command’s operational capacity, stressing that effective communication remains vital in modern policing for coordinating patrols, responding swiftly to distress calls and ensuring seamless information sharing among divisions within the Effurun Area Command.
