I am Allergic to Corruption, IG Says
Deploys 16 teams to enforce ban on roadblocks
In a rare declaration of selfacclaimed honest virtues, the acting Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Solomon Arase, has declared that he is allergic to corruption. He also announced that16 teams have been deployed across all geo-political zones to enforce the ban on roadblocks.
Arase made the statement while addressing senior police officers and men during his maiden visit to the Lagos State Police Command weekend.
The acting IG, who was received by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Mbu Joseph Mbu, heading the Zone 2 Command, comprising Lagos and Ogun States, said the ban on roadblocks would be enforced to the latter.
He said: "Sixteen teams have been deployed to all the geopolitical zones to make sure the ban on roadblocks is enforced.
"The ban on roadblocks does not mean there won't be civility policing in terms of police motor patrols. The road blocks have become a nuisance.
"I am allergic to corruption and I have zero tolerance for it. Therefore, I don't want to ambush any officer and anybody.
"Also, I have directed that every person unauthorised to carry police officers as escort should be withdrawn."
While assuring his officers and men of improved welfare, the IG commended them for
their loyalty to duty and enjoined them to do more.
According to him, "I know how crime was years before now and I know there have been sudden decline in crime as at now.
"But one area I have serious problem with is the area of criminalising civil and commercial cases which the Commissioner of Police from all states should look into."
Also speaking, the state Police Commissioner of Police Kayode Aderanti said the command being a very strategic command, which oversees one of the largest economies in Africa, is saddled with huge responsibilities.
He said: "Prominent among which is the provision of adequate security for lives and properties to ensure growth of businesses and allow leisure to thrive.
"It is a known fact that there can never be development in an unsecured environment. Having realised this, upon assumption of duty on September 9, 2014, security architecture in the state which I inherited is strengthened.
"This we have done through effective collaboration with the government of the state and our strategic partners, the Organised Private sector (OPS).
"They are working together. We set up the Tactical Operations Unit (TOU) as another layer of security to complement the giant strides of our various departments and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
"The result is the relative peace and drastic reduction in crime rate in the state.
"We have kept criminals uncomfortable by making the command very inconclusive for them to operate. Our successes in bursting criminal gangs such as armed robbery syndicates, kidnapping rings and sundry crimes are matters of public knowledge for which we have earned accolades.
"We have our challenges which we are daily devising out-of-the-box strategies to tackle. The uncommon dedication of my officers and men have made these feats possible."