The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa has embarked on a strategic tour of the Command’s five Area Commands, Agbani, Enugu, Nsukka, Oji-River, and Udenu in a renewed drive to strengthen community policing across the state.
The engagement, held at the various Area Command headquarters, brought together police personnel, other security agencies, local government chairmen, traditional rulers, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) members, religious leaders, market and transport union executives, town union leaders, youth groups, hoteliers, and other stakeholders.
During the sessions, CP Giwa reiterated his administration’s zero tolerance for unprofessional conduct, rights violations, extortion, and corruption, stressing that all officers must uphold proactive, people-centred, and rights-respecting policing. He urged personnel to demonstrate emotional intelligence in handling security matters and warned that erring officers would face strict disciplinary measures.
The Commissioner emphasised that lasting peace and crime prevention could only be achieved through sustained community support, appealing to stakeholders to deepen their cooperation with the police under the community policing strategy.
As part of the tour, CP Giwa paid courtesy visits to prominent traditional rulers, receiving royal blessings and reaffirming partnerships between the police and traditional institutions. Royal palaces visited included that of His Royal Majesty, Igwe Barr. Julius Nnaji of Nike Kingdom, Chairman of the Enugu East Senatorial District Traditional Rulers Council; His Royal Majesty, Igwe Chima Achiekwelu of Achi, Oji-River LGA; and His Royal Majesty, Igwe Greg Ugwu, Grand Patron of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council and Igwe of Ataku Akegbe-Ugwu Kingdom, Nkanu West LGA.
In Nsukka, CP Giwa also met with the Chairman and CEO of Wilson Group, Chief Williams Agbo, where discussions focused on enhancing public-private sector collaboration in security management.
Stakeholders commended the CP’s proactive crime-fighting initiatives and commitment to professionalism, pledging continued partnership with the police to ensure peace and stability in Enugu State.
The tour was attended by executive chairmen of Awgu, Enugu East, Enugu North, Enugu South, Igbo-Eze South, Nkanu East, Nkanu West, Oji-River, Udenu, and Uzo-Uwani Local Government Areas, along with some legislative councillors.
Community policing, introduced in Nigeria as part of the Nigeria Police Force’s reform agenda, seeks to bridge the trust gap between the police and the public by fostering collaborative problem-solving and intelligence-sharing. Enugu State, with its mix of urban, rural, and border communities, has been a key focus area for the strategy due to its security complexities and the need for grassroots engagement.