Date: 2019-04-30

Ladies and gentlemen of the Press and senior Police officers here present, it gladens my heart to invite you all to this very important press briefing.

On my assumption of duty as CP, Kwara state command. I made it clear that the command under my watch will be committed to the ideals of modern policing. A policing methodology that is community based, intelligence led and technology driven. All Area Commanders and Dpos have since been tasked to embrace the philosophy of community oriented policing. All officers in the command are to adapt to new levels of transparency and professionalism that will build trust and inspire public confidence in the police.

Our intelligence unit is being revitalised to provide credible intelligence to enhance the quality of our decisions with respect to our operations. We are now more civil and more proactive in our approach to solving issues of crime and criminality in our local communities. Recently the state witnessed communal clashes in Moro and Oke ero Local Governments areas. In both incidents, 8 lives were lost and properties worth Thirthy million, three hundred and seventy thousand Naira were destroyed. The loss would have been more but for our timely intervention.

Subsequently, all DPOs have been directed to start holding monthly peace and security meetings with all stake holders in their local communities. This is aimed at promoting peace and enhance the security of the local communities. It is also mandatory for DPOs to establish and maintain robust relatiinship and strong collaboration with sister agencies within their areas.

My attention was however recently drawn to media reports about police extortion on our highways. Some Policemen on patrol, not all, have been reported to be stopping young men on the road and searching their phones on suspicion that they are internet fraudster known as "yahoo yahoo". In some cases the young men, mostly University undergrduates are made to part with as little or as much as N2,000.00 for their release or release of their phones. The command frowns at this ugly trend. and will stop at nothing in identifying and dealing with the culprits accordingly.

While the Police have the responsibility to conduct stop and search and can indeed stop any person for search or search any personal belonging on reasonable suspicion of being connected to or being a subject of crime. It is unethical to seize and start searching anybody's mobile phone on the road. The practice of searching the phone of an individual on the road for evidence of internet fraud amounts to conducting roadside investigation. It becomes a criminal offence if it ended in extortion or done with intent to extort.

All policemen in this command especially patrol men are constantly been reminded that extorting while bearing fire arms completes the ingredients of the offence of armed robbery. Henceforth, any policeman found to be engaging in any form of extortion while armed on the Highway will be arrested, detained, tried and if found guilty dismissed and charged to court with armed robbery.

Menbers of the public are advised to report any case of police extortion directly to the office of the Commissioner of Police through the following telephone numbers.

1. 09033871133

2. 07015338157

3. 08070734277

The police will serve the community better if there is collaboration between the two. The gap between the police and the community is often exploited to by criminals to the disadvantage of citizens. Criminals hardly operate where the Police and the community collaborate. I appeal to all stake holders and indeed all law abiding citizens and residents to give full cooperation to the police in their localities for the Police to serve them better.

Thank you and God bless.