Police seek more vehicles, equipment to fight crime in Kwara

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The Kwara State Police Command has called for additional operational vehicles, including Armoured Personnel Carriers, communication and surveillance equipment, as well as more manpower to strengthen its capacity to combat crime and respond to security threats across the state.

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The Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, made the demand on Thursday when the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 8 Headquarters, Lokoja, Betty Otimenyin, undertook an operational inspection tour of the command in Ilorin.

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Adekimi made the request while presenting the command’s security and operational outlook to the AIG, who visited the command to assess its operational readiness, personnel capacity and professional policing.

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The development was contained in a statement issued by the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi.

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The CP identified manpower, operational vehicles, communication facilities and surveillance equipment as critical areas requiring further intervention.

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“Manpower, operational vehicles including Armoured Personnel Carriers, communication and surveillance equipment are critical areas requiring further intervention,” Adekimi said.

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He said the command had continued to deploy intelligence-led policing, strategic deployment and visibility patrols to strengthen crime prevention and response across the state.

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Adekimi added that continuous personnel training was also being sustained to improve the competence and effectiveness of officers in tackling security challenges.

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He acknowledged the significant support provided by the Kwara State Government towards security operations in the state.

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The CP, however, said additional resources would enable the command to consolidate its operational gains and improve service delivery.

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He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to improving policing in line with the vision and strategic policing initiatives of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu.

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Speaking during the inspection, Otimenyin commended the preparedness of the officers and men of the command, particularly their sustained combat-readiness and firearms proficiency training.

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She said the training would improve personnel competence and their ability to respond effectively to security threats. The AIG, however, stressed that improved operational capacity must ultimately translate into safer communities and better treatment of citizens.

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“Operational strength must translate to safer communities and better treatment of citizens,” Otimenyin said.

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She urged the personnel to maintain professionalism, discipline and accountability while respecting the fundamental human rights of members of the public. The AIG also cautioned officers against extortion, intimidation and abuse of authority, stressing that the police uniform represented a responsibility to protect citizens.

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“The uniform represents a responsibility to protect and must never become an instrument of fear,” she said. Otimenyin further reminded supervisory officers that they were responsible for personnel under their watch and must ensure accountability throughout the chain of command.

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With political activities gathering momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, she charged police personnel to remain apolitical, impartial and professional.

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She said the responsibility of the police was to secure the political space, preserve public order and protect all lawful participants without preference or partisan involvement.

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The AIG also interacted with officers across different cadres during the visit, providing guidance on operational and professional issues based on her policing and leadership experience.

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She commended the officers and men for the successes recorded and urged them to sustain the tempo while ensuring that improved operational capacity was reflected in the quality of policing experienced by members of the public.

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