- Safiu Kehinde
The Anambra State Police Command is set to train indigenous security outfits in the state on professionalism.
This is coming amid backlashes over the operations of the outfits.
NPO Reported that the operatives of one of the outfits identified as Ocha Brigade, had earlier this week sparked public outage after opening fire at traders in Onitsha market, killing one and injuring several others.
Last month, a viral video of female corp member assaulted and stripped naked by a group of armed officials attached to the Agunechemba vigilante group had surfaced online.
The incidents had sparked outrage from members of the public who called out the state government over the operations of the local security outfits in the state.
Disclosing the planned training in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday, the Anambra Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, said the initiative, as approved by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, aims to boost security effectiveness and collaboration between local security groups and the Nigeria Police
Ikenga said that the state security outfits needed reformation to be in tune with modern security processes.
The PPRO said that the command needed to police effectively with the state-owned outfits to achieve resounding success in their security network.
“These officers are local, so they have quality information to offer the police.
“Besides, they have rich knowledge of their people and know the terrain much better than the police, so there is a need to train them for greater results.
“We have to conquer the conspiracy of silence by the people, where useful information is kept away from the police for fear of the unknown, thereby making police work more difficult.
“The police need to train the local security workers on the essence of the term ‘If you see something or hear something, say something,’ and they, in turn, will pass down the term to their people for greater neighborhood watch,” he said.
Ikenga also said that the police were preparing for the Nov. 8 governorship election in the state.
He added that with adequate basic security training skills for the local security officers, challenges encountered between the local officers and the public would be minimised.
The PPRO explained that basic guidelines in security activities, such as proper public conduct and the application of instinctive intelligence, were key to achieving security balance in a state.
According to him, when key skills are missing in security officers, it will lead to preventable altercations that may escalate to unlawful acts.
Ikenga harped on proper orientation on social behavior and respect for human rights to avoid encroachment on public rights.
According to him, lack of this may hamper or trigger public unrest, which is important for effective policing.