[Mhiz Rebecca]

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has
asked Nigerians to see policing the
country as a job for all rather than leaving
it for men of the Nigerian Police Force
alone.
The former leader, who spoke at the
maiden meeting of the Eminent People’s
Forum and launching of “Change Begins
With Me”, held at the June 12 Cultural
Centre in Abeokuta on Monday, said the
police have been saddled with many
responsibilities already, calling on the
people to offer assistance individually and
collectively.
He added that for Nigeria Police to
perform effectively and make the “Change
Begins With Me” campaign successful,
Nigerians must ensure that necessary
support is given for effective policing.
He, however, urged the people not to
hesitate to provide useful information to
the police, the step which according to
him, will go a long way in making the
police to be proactive and combat crimes
in a better manner.
In his remark, Ogun state commissioner of
Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, who disclosed that
EPF is the brain child of the Inspector
General Ibrahim Idris noted “the orthodox
concepts which regards security as the
exclusive preserve of the police and
security agencies has become obsolete
and moribund”.
The forum, according to the CP, which will
comprise critical stakeholders such as
community leaders, religious leaders,
traditional rulers, elder statesmen, retired
senior security officers, captains of
industries as well as politicians, will
proffer solutions to security challenges
through mediation and social control.
Iliyasu, however, said the Nigeria Police
under the leadership of the incumbent IGP,
will subscribe into the “Change” mantra
submitting “if this is properly imbibed by
every member of the force will paint a new
name for Nigeria Police.
“Brutality such as extral judicial killing,
requesting money for bail, torture and any
other form of incivility to members of the
public will become things of the past”.