BY PATRICK MGBODO
THE Asagba of Asaba, HRM Obi (Prof.) Epiphany Azinge, SAN, has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun to uphold due process in handling local disputes, emphasizing strict adherence to established protocols in arresting involved parties.
HRM Azinge, receiving the IGP on a courtesy visit, expressed strong disapproval of police officers from Abuja bypassing established command structure to arrest individuals in other jurisdictions over local disputes.
According to the traditional ruler, ‘’I know there is a chain of command in the police force but a situation where incessantly, police officers come from Abuja to address land disputes to the extent of taking our people to Abuja without passing through the chain of command, either at the Area of Police Headquarters in Asaba; I do not think this is professionally right.
‘’This is something I believe we should seriously look into. I was in Abuja recently to receive an award from Veritas University and as I came out, I got calls that some people came to arrest some of our people here. I tried to engage with the Commissioner of Police in Abuja who gave me an undertaken that something can be done about it. ‘’I told them I am prepared to come back to Asaba to weigh into the matter and see how we can resolve the issue using my expertise as a senior lawyer of nearly four decades.
‘’But the next morning, before I left Abuja, the people in question were already in Abuja; regardless of my intervention. I think something should be done so that the chain of command must be maintained’’ HRM Azinge said. Having welcomed the IGP to Asaba, the Delta Staten Capital, the monarch commended him for his efforts in repositioning the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and for bringing peace to troubled areas as well as his expertise demonstrated in the maintenance of law and order.
HRM Azinge further thanked the police chief for recognizing and partnering with traditional institutions in the maintenance of peace and conflict resolution, just as he drew his attention to the growing trend of drug abuse and cybercrime among youths in urban cities and the need for police intervention.
Earlier, IGP Egbetokun thanked the Asaba Sovereign for his cooperation with the police in Delta State in line with the community policing strategy approved by the Federal Government.
‘’The Nigeria Police has adopted the community policing strategy to solve the problems of community crime in Nigeria and the traditional institution is very key to achieving our aims of adopting this strategy.
The visit concluded on a symbolic note with the presentation of the traditional Akwa-Ocha souvenir, a revered emblem of the Asaba people, to the IGP. The gesture, performed by the Odogwu (Warlord) of Asaba,
