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Community Policing, Key To Ending Insecurity In Nigeria — Ikpokpo

Published

9 months ago

August 20, 2025

Former Director General of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and Managing Consultant Crestpoint consulting Ltd, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo KSM has urged the Nation’s parliament to urgently provide the necessary legislative framework and constitutional provisions to institutionalize community policing under the control and regulation of local governments as a lasting solution to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

In a statement, Ikpokpo commended the recent military clampdown on kidnappers around Ogwashi-Uku and other parts of Delta North Senatorial District, noting that the support and intelligence-gathering roles of community vigilantes and volunteer security groups were crucial to the success of those operations.

He stressed that such outcomes underscore the non-negotiable role of community policing in fighting insecurity across the country. The former ALGON Delta State Chairman and Former Chairman of Isoko South Local Government Area observed that until a well-structured community policing system under the control of the local government and backed by constitutional regulation on mode of operations and funding is enacted by the National Assembly and domesticated by the various State Assemblies, the nation’s security challenges will persist.

He listed the shortage of security personnel, rising population, vast landmass, unfamiliar terrain, and cultural and language barriers as key factors undermining the current policing structure. “The recent successes by security agencies in Ogwashi-Uku and other parts of Delta North against kidnappers, coupled with the backing roles of community vigilantes and volunteers, highlight the urgent need for the institutionalisation of community policing under the regulation and control of local governments.

While we have pockets of vigilante and volunteer groups across the country, it is expedient to legitimise and integrate them into the local government-led community policing system,” he stated. Ikpokpo lamented the delay in legislative and policy conversations around community policing, describing it as a major factor behind Nigeria’s deteriorating security.

He aligned with security experts who believe that institutionalised community policing could reduce insecurity by 60 to 70 percent, citing his practical and administrative experiences as local government chairman. Recounting his tenure between 2014 and 2021, Ikpokpo revealed that the total police strength in Isoko South Local Government never exceeded 60 personnel for an area covering 668 square kilometres and over 10 towns and communities.

“Beyond the inadequate number of personnel, issues such as language and cultural barriers, alongside difficult terrain, have rendered the present policing system grossly insufficient. Our communities are largely unpoliced spaces where crime and criminality thrive unchallenged. To argue otherwise is to live in denial,” he warned.

Ikpokpo therefore called on the National Assembly and the various State Assemblies to as a matter of urgency, initiate modalities for local government community policing and enact appropriate legislations for its operation. “It is the surest panacea to the hydra-headed insecurity plaguing the nation,” he declared.

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FG Commits To National Development With Major Contract Agreements — Umahi

Published

18 hours ago

May 14, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works, has again signed landmark contract agreements with four (4) construction firms to execute critical road projects across the country, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. The contract signing ceremony, held on Thursday at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja, marks another major step in the Federal Government’s commitment to delivering durable, sustainable road infrastructure that enhances connectivity, stimulates economic growth, and improves the quality of life of Nigerians.

The four contractors and their respective projects are as follows:

1. Messrs J. Patel and Sons Nigeria Limited – Reconstruction of Mando (Kaduna) – Birnin Gwari Road in Kaduna State,

2. Messrs JRB Construction Company Limited – Dualisation of Ibadan–Ijebu Ode Road in Oyo and Ogun States,

3. Messrs Truecrete Solutions Limited – Construction of Osogbo–Ikirun–Akoda Road in Osun State and

4. Messrs Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Limited – Construction of Osogbo–Iwo–Ibadan Road in Osun and Oyo States.

Speaking during the event, the Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, described the projects as strategic national infrastructure designed to boost economic activities, improve transportation efficiency, and strengthen national integration. He noted that the reconstruction of the Mando (Kaduna) –Birnin Gwari Road in Kaduna State holds special significance, as it was one of the key infrastructure development commitments made by His Excellency, President Tinubu during the 2022/2023 electioneering campaigns. According to the Minister, the present administration remains resolute in its determination to deliver world-class infrastructure that will stand the test of time. “Our vision is to build roads that will last for generations. Under the Renewed Hope administration, we are determined to deliver infrastructure that can serve Nigerians for up to 100 years through the adoption of rigid pavement (concrete) technology,” Umahi stated.

The Minister commended the selected contractors for their competence, track records, and proven capacity, emphasising the Federal Government’s confidence in indigenous contractors. He particularly praised Messrs JRB Construction Company Limited, Truecrete Solutions Limited, and other indigenous firms for their commendable performances on previous projects across the country.

Umahi charged all contractors to mobilise to their respective project sites immediately and commence work without delay, stressing that the Ministry expects measurable progress within the stipulated timelines.

Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Olarinre Adeladan, who formally signed the contract agreements, described the occasion as the successful completion of the procurement process and the official commencement of project implementation.

He commended the leadership of the Ministry for its commitment to ensuring that projects reached the execution stage and reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to effective monitoring, quality assurance, and timely delivery.

Also speaking, the Director of Highways, Construction and Rehabilitation, Mr. Clement Ogbuagu, presented details of the awarded contracts as follows:

1. Reconstruction of Mando–Birnin Gwari Road, Kaduna State

Contractor: Messrs J. Patel and Sons Nigeria Limited

Contract Sum: ₦178,116,787,162.00

Length: 122 Kilometres

2. Dualisation of Ibadan–Ijebu Ode Road, Oyo and Ogun States

Contractor: JRB Construction Company Limited,

Contract Sum: ₦295,996,609,992.77

Length: 114.5 Kilometres (Single Carriageway Equivalent)

3. Construction of Osogbo–Ikirun–Akoda Road, Osun State

Contractor: Truecrete Solutions Limited

Contract Sum: ₦101,806,585,825.90

Length: 70 Kilometres (Single Carriageway Equivalent) and

4. Construction of Osogbo–Iwo–Ibadan Road, Osun State

Contractor: Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Limited

Contract Sum: ₦114,854,477,607.93

Length: 73 Kilometres

All the projects will be executed using Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) technology, in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to building durable, cost-effective, and sustainable road infrastructure nationwide.

The ceremony represents another significant milestone in the Federal Government’s drive to modernise Nigeria’s road network and accelerate national economic development.

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