The Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State, CP Wilson Nnalegwu has dismissed fears in some quarters that the heavy presence of policemen at strategic points in the state may be connected to allegations that Boko Haram insurgents have inflitrated the South-West and also for political reasons ahead of Ekiti gubernatorial election in June, 2018.

He explained that the recent deployment of heavy security operatives in the state,  was to meet up with the recent security challenges cropping up in the state.

He said that 200 additional mobile police officers and others were deployed into the state about three weeks ago, leading to heavy police presence in all the nooks and crannies of the state.

Nnalegwu made the clarification while receiving the team of Security Watch Africa, (SWA) presenter of Security Watch broadcasting programme on the African Independent Television, (AIT), led by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Patrick Agbambu and his colleague, Mr. Shina Philips, a security watch International assessor.

The SWA team,  in collaboration with Stellenbosch University, Capetown, South Africa, had presented the CP with an award recognizing him as the Most Outstanding Urban Security Chief in West Africa.

”As a responsible officer you must look at why, how and what can be done to make it a crisis situation better. In looking at all of this, we decided to take our men to all the crannies of Ekiti. I asked for more officers from the Inspector General of Police and he graciously granted the request.

“The step is not driven by any political reason but for us to properly ensure there is security. I use the example of Atikankan where people expressed fear that there is no security but now we have ensured that movement there is secured by police day and night.

“Nobody asked me to ask for more police, it was my request and it is based on my assessment that I made that request not based on any political consideration,”Nnalegwu said.

Also reacting to fears of insecurity usually associated with tension created by politics and allegations of Boko Haram infiltration of the South-West, the CP said: “with the step we have taken, the police command in Ekiti is well prepared for heightening political situation: it is all meant to be that Ekiti is secured. Our work is well spelt out by relevant provisions of the constitution.

“Boko Haram is not yet in Ekiti. We haven’t got such information either through intelligence or other means: but we have a committee on ground, farmers and herdsmen, containing Fulani herdsmen from  Kwara, Sokoto Kebbi Zamfara, Kano, Miyetti Allah and Cocoa farmers among others, all come under the same roof to meet minds and by the partnership we are building.

“If we have such Boko Haram infiltration, we would have known. I advise all our people to let us know if there is such in the state.

“We are also building partnership with sister agencies. Ekiti people are doing well by giving us information which has led to many achievements and we are doing well. You will discover Okada snatching is going down.

“We recovered over 30 master keys and have arrested kidnappers, yahoo boys, and raided many criminals’ hideouts. Our score card for six months is more than that of 2 years in some other area.”

(Source: BREAKING TIMES)