The new Commissioner of Police in Kebbi State, Magaji Ahmed-Kontagora, has promised to reduce crime rate by 30 per cent in his first one month in office.
Ahmed-Kontagora made the pledge during his maiden press briefing at the Police Command Headquarters in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, on Tuesday.
He said: “Our intention to bring crime rate down by 30 per cent in the first one month and by 75 per cent in the subsequent months must be achieved by the will of Almighty God.”
On strategy to combat crime, the commissioner said that under his leadership, the command would evolve series of intelligence driven crime prevention strategies anchored on community policing.
The new CP said that the command would also initiate community safety partnership through the mantra of “see something say something” to stem the rate of crime in the state.
“Synergy with other sister agencies such as the military, DSS, Civil Defence Corps, NDLEA will be intensified in our efforts to rid the state of all crimes,’’ he said.
Ahmed-Kontagora said that his telephone numbers and that of his management team, Area Commanders (ACs), DPOs and other sectional heads of the command would be made public to the residents to enable them pass useful and actionable information to the police.
According to him, any such information provided by residents will be treated with utmost confidentiality.
“The Area Commanders and DPOs are to create three permanent pin-down points to be manned by not less than four armed men in volatile areas within their areas of responsibilities (AORs).
“DPOs must also embark on intensive patrol of their AORs from 0700 hours to 1100 hours in the day and 2200 hours to 0000 hours each day before handing over to their respective duty officers.
“This must be followed by residential patrols from 0000 hours to 0400 hours.
“Aggressive raids of criminas hideouts, including uncompleted and abandoned buildings and shops will also be carried out, therefore, all hands must be on deck in order to achieve these objectives,” he said.
While appreciating the Inspector-General of Police for finding him worthy of the position, the CP pledged to use his wealth of experience to police the state excellently.
“Even though, I may be new in the state, but as an old hand in the system, I will use my wealth of experience to pilot the affairs of the state excellently to move it to greater heights.
“Before my deployment as CP to the state, I have been following the events in the state, particularly the activities of bandits and other criminal elements.
“Also the political and economic situation of the state are not left out, this has prepared my mind for the enormous task ahead.
“This administration’s mission statement has zero level tolerance for crime. I hereby wish to use this medium to warn all criminals in the state and those nursing the ambition to take to crime to have a rethink and leave the state for their own good.
“This administration is going to be fair to all and sundry irrespective of tribe, race and status in the society.
“We are going to put an end to all cases of human rights violation, extortion among others by policemen across the state,” he promised.
The commissioner, who charged officers and men to brace up to change the trend of security challenges in the state, said that corruption and indiscipline among the rank and file would not be tolerated.
He said that there would be policing the policemen “to ensure that they are doing what is expected of them at all times.” (NAN)