By Augustine Ehikioya
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Ari Muhammed Ali, has warned criminals and would-be criminals, especially in this yuletide season, to relocate out of the State.
If they fail to comply, he said the long hand of the law will definitely catch up with them based on the series of plans put in place by the Police and other security agencies in the State.
He spoke in an exclusive interview with Security Watch Africa (SWA) in Delta State.
But the CP advised criminals who are willing to genuinely repent, to do so in order to enjoy the State.
He said “Criminals also are working so hard, so fast to beat anybody hands down and get what they want to get and so also other activities. So this Command is not unaware of that.
“We have long prepared for it and we are only executing all that have been planned.
“To my friends, the criminals, who are out there, I want to warn them once more, to relocate out of this State. They should relocate and find a safe haven wherever they think they can go.
“Delta for today, I want to assure them, is a no-go area for all of them. If you want to remain with us, then repent and be part of it all. Then you will enjoy your stay,” he said.
He also expressed the readiness of the Police and other security agencies to make the yuletide period peaceful and hitch-free movement for incoming travellers and those passing through the State to the Eastern part of the country.
According to him, adequate traffic and crime-free measures are already in place.
He said “We are more than able, ever- ready. This Command is well prepared for them that we have mapped out our operation order. Officers have been assigned their roles and responsibilities. DPOs have been warned not once, not twice, of what to expect within this period.
“Action plan for the month has since been drawn up. We have all keyed into that action plan on how to deal with crime and criminalities. Because, usually in December, not even talk about other Ember months of September, October, November, you expect a general increase and upsurge of crime.
“As a good teacher, you have seen it coming, it is now left for you to plan and we have since finished our plans. We are only actualizing and putting what we have planned on table, marching it with action.
“Men have been deployed; one to take care of traffic, don’t forget this is the gateway to the East. And an average Igbo man, like you know, will be the last person to spend his Christmas and New Year outside. Everybody wants to come down here.
“That, the Command is fully prepared for it. We have given out our marching orders to our men everywhere. Crime is being taken care of, traffic is being taken care of, patrols are on, networking, generally with members of the public is on, our informants are everywhere, stop and search is on, raiding of criminal hideouts, some black spots, especially at weekends like this, is on,” the CP stated.
He went on “One thing I must tell you is that I don’t believe in reacting policing. I believe in pro-active policing, not allowing something to happen before we start going after it, you will fail.
“But when you don’t give room at all for anything to happen, that is better managed and handled.”
Giving assurance of easy passage for travellers passing through Delta State to the South East, he said “That partnership has been on and I want to tell you that it will continue to be on because policing, like you are aware, is not about me being here alone, it is a collective responsibility. It is an all comers event. I couldn’t have done it alone at the bridge head.
“At the other side of the bridge, you have the Police, you have the Army, you have the Road Safety. Same goes to this same side of the bridge. And on my own part, right from Issele Uku, if you travel along that line, you will see patrol vehicles at strategic points monitoring traffic, monitoring movement of crime and criminality, ensuring that all is well because we expect an upsurge in terms of everything, both people travelling up and down, especially within this period.”
Because of the security measures the Police, other security agencies and the State are implementing, the CP ruled out the possibility of any negative report emanating from Delta State during the yuletide.
He said “And that is why this State, from now to the end of December, I don’t think you will hear any negative thing coming from here.
“The people are cooperating in the spirit of community policing, other agencies are collaborating and working well with us, the State government has been very supportive. On a general note, I want to say we are on top of the situation here,” he added.
He gave credit to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, for the State’s ability to stop attack on Police officials and burning down of Police stations.
The IGP’s intervention, he said, has not only stopped attack on Police stations, but greatly responsible for the peaceful atmosphere in the State.
He said “That idea is working for us and it has been very very supportive. In fact, we cannot thank the IGP enough. That was a wonderful foresight to have deployed men in that number. In this State alone, we were given about 250 men, mobile men, to support us at the wake of this crisis here, particularly this IPOB of a thing because of the proximity of Delta State to Eastern part of the country:
“And since we got this men and with the deployment made to various divisions and out-stations, they have been very very wonderful. Crime rate has been dropped, astronomically.
“You hardly hear of one crime committed here or there. And since they came here, we have not recorded one single case of attack on any Division. So can’t we say it is working? It is working. It is a very laudable thing the IGP has done by coming up with that policy of, you know, backing up various Commands with that huge number of men to support us in this whole task of crime-fighting and the men are working.
“The State government has been supportive and their allowances are being paid. Not just being paid, and on time. I don’t know of any other State, but I know of my State,” he said.
Asked to speak specifically on what he did specially to stop burning of Police Stations, when two Police Stations were burnt down in the State, he said “Let me tell you, you see I just told you something about crime mapping. Three stations came under attack at the wake of attacks by IPOB / ESN. Nsukwa was the first Division that came under attack.
“In that single attack, we lost 3 Policemen, an ASP, an Inspector and a Sergeant, who were not just killed, but set ablaze. And then 2 arms were carted away.
“At Umutu Division, there was another attack also. Arms were not carted away, but we lost an ASP there and also a Constable.
“Then at Ashaka, nobody was caught napping. They were at alert when the criminals came and they gave them a very serious heat. And they had no option than to retreat backward.”
Explaining how he got to the root of the matter, the CP said “When the incident at Nsukwa took place, I went there. I had meeting with the traditional leader there, I had meeting with the youth. From the antecedent of the way the whole thing happened, the traditional ruler made me to understand that that attack was not the handiwork of IPOB, that he suspected that it was an internal thing.
“So, it turned out to be a good lead for me and my DC CID. We had our meeting and we unleashed our men out. Intelligence-led policing, we started gathering information and what was the finding? The finding came out to be that a cultist from a neighbouring town called ‘I Don Tey’, a nearby town to Nsukwa, was arrested for the offence of cultism and detained.
“Overnight, his other allies now took advantage of what the IPOB were doing in the South East. They went there and attack the station, threw petrol bomb on the roof of the station and burnt down the place and killed the three officers who were on duty and carted away their arms, liberated their criminal from the cell and took him away.
“That was why I said our meeting with the traditional ruler assisted us greatly. We did a follow up, four of those suspects were arrested and prosecuted. Other suspects are still on the run. The Police is still on their trail till now. We are not giving up.
“The one at Umutu, we also got one suspect there. The last one that took place at Ashaka, no suspect. But then nothing happened because our men gave them a good fight,” he said.
The CP went on “And since then, the men that were sent to me, courtesy of IGP’s gesture, were unleashed to all these Divisions and since then, to God be the glory, it is a sweet story to say the Command has been enjoying that relative peace till now that I am talking to you.”
Asked for his message to Deltans at this yuletide season, he said “Well to my good people of Delta State, I want to thank them, I want to call for their support to continue to partner with this Command, to continue to collaborate with us, to continue to network with us.
“It is your partnership with the Police that is helping everyone of us. That Delta State is calm today is not just the making of the police, everybody that have been very supportive toward this and God is number one. And all of us are partnering together. We want to see that partnership continue in that spirit.”