By SIMON EBEGBULEM
BENIN — ACTING Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, yesterday, called on state governors to assist in the effective policing of the country by providing security equipment and vehicles for the police.

Abubakar, at Government House, Benin City, Edo State, while receiving 50 Hilux patrol vans donated to the police by the state government, commended Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the assistance rendered to security agencies in the state, pointing out that crime had reduced in the state drastically due to the efforts of the state government.

Assuring the governor that the vehicles would go a long way in figting crime in the state, the IG stressed the need for governors to assist the police by providing security equipment, as the police was determined to fight crime in the country.

He said: “These vehicles were bought for the security of the people of Edo State and they must be utilized for that purpose. I call on all colleagues of yours, who are governors, yet to donate anything in terms of security equipment to follow suit because you have led by example. I want to go round the country to receive equipment like this in order to improve on safety and security of this country.”

He warned that “officers to be involved in any operational exercise must be polite, respectful, must have the honour and integrity and must follow the rule of law. Any officer who violates, discriminates, molests or harasses any citizen will be punished in accordance with the law.”

Governor Oshiomhole, commended the efforts of security agents in the state in fighting kidnappers and criminals, adding that it was the belief of the people of the state that the vehicles would assist more in effective policing of the state.

He warned politicians in the state to stop politicizing the issue of security in the state, saying “to politicise the issue it is to trivialise a serious national issue.”

...stops police orderlies from carrying handbags for politicians
 By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

CALABAR—ACTING Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has warned police orderlies to stop carrying handbags belonging to politicians or their principals.

He also said he would reintroduce highway patrol to ensure that officers and men of the police were seen on the highways. The highway patrol, he said, would assist to direct traffic, accident victims, fight robbers and other acts of criminality.

The IG, who fielded questions from newsmen in Calabar, Cross River State, said the duty of an orderly was to ensure the safety and well being of his principal and not to play the role of a house boy.

Abubakar said the era of assigning more that two police orderlies to every body, who requested for same had passed and advised those in high positions, assigned orderlies to note that the orderlies should not be turned to house helps.