Delta, Lagos tough to police – Oborevwori

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has described Delta and Lagos states as two tough states to police.

Oborevwori, speaking on Monday at the Police Public Relations Officers/Police Communication Experts Conference in Asaba, the state capital, noted that too often, misconceptions and unverified information about Delta State spread through social media, creating false impressions.

He said, “As Police Public Relations Officers, your role is vital in countering misinformation and fostering transparency, adding that the relationship between the police and the public is critical.

“I want to thank the IGP for his good work. As an officer who served in Lagos as CP, he is capable of policing Nigeria.

“Delta and Lagos states are very tough states to police, therefore, any officer who served in Delta or Lagos as CP will police Nigeria well.”

He pointed out that public engagement and effective communication were essential to bridge the gap and showcase the incredible work the police were doing.

Declaring the conference open, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said the Nigerian Police Force was steadfastly committed to promoting amicable settlements, upholding fairness, and ensuring accountability.

The IGP pointed out that the police recognised the influence of the media in shaping public perception and considered it a vital ally in their advocacy and accountability efforts.

“I’m glad to address the PPROs/Police Communication Experts’ Conference. I thank the governor for hosting this conference.

“The conference is part of police reform for trust and respect to get public trust, and therefore, we appeal to the public not to resort to social media when reporting the conduct of police officers but rather use the police complaint response unit,” he said.

The governor later donated 31 operational vehicles to the police and other security agencies in the state, to strengthen their operations.

Oborevwori, while presenting the vehicles to the IGP, said they would enhance the joint security operations in the state, codenamed “Operation Delta Sweep.”

He said the donation was informed by the general insecurity being experienced in the country and urged the security agencies to work together and share intelligence to ensure effective security in the state.

He said: “In my MORE Agenda, I promised Deltans that we would enhance peace and security and as part of this commitment, we are rebranding the operation formerly known as ‘Delta Hawk’ to ‘Operation Delta Sweep’ and this rebranding underscores our renewed focus and strategy.

“Without security, meaningful development cannot take place. We aim to create a secure environment where investors feel confident to come in and invest, ultimately improving the quality of life for our citizens and fostering harmony across the state.

“This joint security task force, established on December 10, 2020, as a policy response to rising violent crimes, comprises the Nigerian Army, Police Force, Air Force, Navy, DSS, and Civil Defence Corps.

“Since its inception, this initiative has recorded significant successes in combating crimes such as illegal oil bunkering, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and drug-related offences.

“The rebranding reflects our administration’s resolve to reduce crime to its barest minimum.”

The vehicles included 23 pickup vans and eight Sienna wagons, in addition to four Hilux vehicles previously delivered.

The donation brought the fleet of vehicles of Operation Delta Sweep to 66.

“I trust this will boost the morale of task force members and motivate them to redouble their efforts to keep our state safe,” the governor said.