Outgoing Cross River Commissioner of Police, CP Sikiru Akande, on Wednesday disclosed that the force has laid a solid foundation in Cross River that will guarantee long-term security.Akande made the assertion while handing over to the new Police Commissioner who assumed duty at the Command Headquarters in Calabar, Aminu Alhassan.The outgoing CP, who was redeployed to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, thanked the people of the state for their cooperation with him while he served as the state Commissioner of Police.
He said the plan by the president on community policing has been largely implemented in the state and this has guaranteed effective security of the State.He advocated for a direct funding of police commands across the country to address the high level of insecurity in the country.“I sincerely thank the people of the state for making my tenure here a successful one but please don’t drop our watchword, when you see something say something, and when you say something be rest assured that the police will respond’.“In 2004, I led Nigeria to Liberia and had 6 months to lay a foundation for what Liberia enjoyed for the next 19 years; I know that will be replicated here because we have laid the foundation.“Community policing is the programme of the president and there is a plan that police should partner with the community to achieve success.“
However, I think Police Commands should be given direct funding from the Federal Government, the moment proper funding is done, all the security challenges of the nation will be a thing of the past,” he said.On his part, the new Police Commissioner, Alhassan, said he has come with his mandate and plan but will make use of the foundation established in the state and grow from there.
The CP who thanked the outgoing police commissioner for doing his bit to ensure peace and security in the state, added that there was no future without considering the present.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incoming CP is Cross River’s 42nd Commissioner of Police. (NAN)
