Police need varsities’ help to curb crime – Kwara CP

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

The newly posted Commissioner of Police (CP), Kwara State, Mr. Ambrose Aisabor, has called on universities in the country to join hands with the Police in fighting crime, saying that most crimes are committed by undergraduates and able bodied youth.

Aisabor, who said this during a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, in his office, noted that security is a collective responsibility.

He called on students, lecturers and traditional rulers, among others, to join in the fight against crime.

The CP, who assumed duty at the Kwara State Police Command on February 12, 2014, told the Vice-Chancellor that 12 students of some tertiary institutions in the state (Unilorin not included) were recently arrested for serial rape.

Aisabor stressed that the universities’ collaboration are needed, particularly in the area of information sharing and solicited the support of members of the university community to always volunteer useful information to the Police.

“When you go abroad, you discover that the success of their Police is built on information sharing by the public. Information is vital to the Police. The Police cannot be effective without credible information. Development takes place only in an atmosphere of peace.

“That is why security is a collective responsibility. The police need the universities as much as the universities need the police. We should work harmoniously.”

The Police boss in the state decried the wrong perception of the Police Force as a lawless institution, explaining that the NPF, which he said is the largest employer of labour in the country, is currently going through transformation.

In his response, the Vice-Chancellor thanked the Inspector General of Police for posting Mr. Aisabor to Kwara State, describing the new CP as a symbol of hope for the police and the nation because of his trackrecord.

“You have made me believe in the new Nigeria project. You are an honest policeman. You have rightly and professionally dissected the problem of the Force and put strategy in place to address the

problems. The University will support you”.

The Vice-Chancellor explained that with over 30,000 students, the University is dealing with students from at least 25,000 homes, saying that their population poses a challenge as the students are coming with different orientation and baggage.

Ambali called on the Police leadership to take advantage of the educational opportunities at the University of Ilorin through the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS) and the Unilorin

Business School, to enhance the capacity of their personnel.