A non- governmental -organization, Save life & Care Foundation (SLCF), has commended the Police on the Ekiti State gubernatorial election, describing it as successful.
President/ Founder of SLCF, Mr. Remy Ihuoma , at a press conference in Lagos, said the police under the watch of IGP Usman Akali Baba, has done two gubernatorial elections successfully, Anambra and Ekiti states, which should be applauded.
Stakeholders in election and security will understand what it meant to conduct elections in Anambra and Ekiti states, but the IGP was able to monitor the elections and the police did marvelously well in their duty of protection of lives and properties.
” There was no records of violence, killings and looting or distruction of electoral materials. Inshort, the elections were successful beyond any reasonable doubts.
” With what was demonstrated by the IGP, who is the leader of the joint security agencies,there is hope that the 2023 General Elections, will be free and fair and lives and properties will be protected. I want to commend the police and other sister agencies who supported the police during the elections.
” I still want to appeal to the police to start strategising on the 2023 General Elections. You have demonstrated competence and this was attested by the accolades given to you by the Police Service Commission ( PSC), under the leadership of Alhaji Musiliu Smith. The PSC in a statement by its’ public relations officer, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, affirmed that the police under the able leadership of Baba, performed wonderfully well.If the PSC which is saddled with the responsibilities of promotion and disciplining officers could commend the police for monitoring the elections successfully, who are we to condemn the conduct of the police during the two important elections? With what transpired in Anambra and Ekiti, there is hope for 2023 elections.
” I could see that the police need more equipment and logistics to do more. I want to appeal to the Federal Government to equip the police with more tools, such as stung guns, Water canon, tear gas canister, bullet proof vests and uniforms. The welfare of men and officers of the police, should be paramount. The money recovered from looters, should be channeled towards the police welfare and equipment. The Police Trust Fund should be taken seriously. I equally want to appreciate the State governments that have been doing wonderfully well for the police. Without the support of state governments, I wonder what would have happened to the biggest police force in Africa. The Lagos State Police Trust Fund is playing a leading role in the affairs of the Force. We can see how the Rapid Response Squad,is performing because of the intervention of the state government, through the Lagos State Trust Fund. I want to advice other states to emulate Lagos State and help their states with equipment and logistics to support the police in the war against crime .
” The police should also be serious about maintenance culture. When people donate to the fund, they would be discouraged if the police are not maintaining the equipment donated to them, so I am passionately appealing to the force to maintain whatever that is given to them to work. I encourage individuals and corporate organizations to donate generously to the police so that they will give us their best. If an average policeman knows that he is well taken care off, that the future of his family is not bleak, he will do everything within his powers to fight crime. We travel outside the country,and we can see how policemen and women are treated. If you pay a police Constable,the money paid to a Cleaner in NNPC or NIMASA, I bet you, he will be happy with the take home salary of a cleaner in the two parastatals.
” The members of the public should cooperate with the police and not see them as enemies. The police is essential and necessary. It is when you are in distress that you will know the importance of the police. Before the police were able to reclaim the public spaces,after the #EndSars saga, there was tension and apprehension everywhere,but we thank God that the police have reclaimed the public spaces and are doing wonderfully well”.
