By Rofia Salako
The era of alleged trampling on fundamental human rights of people by police is gone, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Kennet Ebrimson on Tuesday has said.

Speaking at a reception to welcome him to Ota Police Area Command, Mr Ebrimson said he had read a riot act to police officers and men under his watch  to desist from old fashion of harrassing and torturing people to obtain confessional statements.

"All policemen have been adequately briefed and instructed to respect fundamental rights of people they are protecting to ensure we do proper service delivery to people we are paid to serve", he said.

"I have warned them and in line with what we have been doing so far, we made it a point of duty to ensure proper service delivery without trampling on the fundamental rights of residents or citizens.

"We cannot keep on harassing people without bringing their dignity to nothing. Beating, torturing are indices of violation of fundamental human rights.  But I can assure you that under my watch this will not happen", he said.


He spoke further, "I assume my office on 27th November 2019.  One of the places I quickly wanted to come and visit and see the stakeholders is Ota Area Command.

"But as at the time I came in, exigency of duties (and you know that was the preparatory period of the festival). I had to start working on the operational orders.

"I have to start placing necessary security on ground, so that the people of Ogun State would enjoy the festival without any a hitch.  I thank God that vision actually came to happen from the commendation we have been receiving that the yuletide and Christmas was very peaceful in this place.

"I took over from my good friend, my course-mate who laid the good foundation upon which I’m standing.  I promise to surpass whatever achievement he has recorded".

Talking about Community Policing, the CP appreciated the robust partnership existing among security sister agencies.

"The royal fathers are critical stakeholders to community policing.  I am more than delighted from the mammoth crowd that I have seen this morning.


"What you have done has given me the hope that community policing is in action. Your presence here is an eloquent testimony of the philosophy of community policing whereby all the stakeholders are talking on the same forum.

"The Area Commander and his men have demonstrated to me this morning that they are on ground and have the partnership and collaboration of all the stakeholders, those in uniform and outside the uniform.

"That is what the Inspector-General of Police has been preaching.  We must carry our people along, so that we do a better police service delivery.

"If there is no synergy, no understand, no collaboration, no partnership, I’m sure, most of you wouldn’t have been here this morning.

"So I want to congratulate and thank you immensely from the bottom of my heart that you have made my day by being here this morning.  I want to thank you all.

In his welcome address, the Area Commander, Mr. Monday Agbonika spoke of 9 divisions in the command comprising Sango, Agbado, Ibogun, Ewekoro, Itele, Ifo, Ajuwon, Ojodu, Abiodun and Onipanu.

"The Area Command has boundaries with Lagos in three areas, in the North at Itele, connecting Ayobo, to the south, there is Ojodu/Abiodun, and Abeokuta, to the east at Ewekoro end and Agbara, and Owode Egba.

"It is understood that because of the strategic location of the Area Command, there are some issues that we have to contend with.

"I can also inform here that we are blessed with many tertiary institutions, which include the Covenant University, Ota, The Bells University, Ota, and D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic.

"The Area Command also has many industries and factories. This is one of the highlights of Ogun State because the business, production and economy rely on this region.

"The people of Ota are very hospitable and peace-loving. The major problems encountered in this area are land-related.  Just like Olota told us, a while ago.

"We have been able to keep a low crime profile in this area command due to the fact that officers and men of this command have keyed into the Inspector-General peace vision and the Ogun State Commissioner of Police's peace vision.

"This is community-oriented policing.  You can see from the presence of the stakeholders, the support that we have, the fact that we have been working and extensively engaging the stakeholders within the Area Command.

"This has been the secret of our keeping a low crime profile within the Area Command.

"CP sir, you can tell from the presence of the number of distinguished guests and personalities who have turned up to receive you that we have been complying with your directives of engaging residents in delivering quality police services community safety partnership" he said.

Commenting on behalf of members of PCRC the chairman pledged unflinching support with the police.

Speaking on behalf of royal fathers in Ado-Odo/Ota council area, Kabiyesi Onilogbo of Ilogbo, Oba Samuel Ojugbele urged the police to do thorough investigation before clamping people in cell.

The Kabiyesi complained against some policemen coming from Abuja in the name of Inspector-General of Police special unit to whisk people away to Abuja without incidenting the case at the Ota Area Command on frivolous petitions.

Sister agencies present at the occasion include TRACE Area Commander, Ogun West, Commander Adekunle Ajibade,  Navy representative, FRSC Ota Unit Commander,  Ganiyu Akeem, DSS Director, Civil Defence NDLEA representatives.