VGN State command, urges officers to imbibe in genuine culture, display professionalism

By Ifeoma Ikem

The Lagos state Commandant of Vigilante Group of Nigeria Tajudeen Opeyemi has urged its officers to imbibe in genuine culture and display of professionalism

Opeyemi said this at the official installation of the executives and officers of VGN branch of Ikorodu local government, Lagos, recently.

He said that the outfit was a major move by National Assembly to improve the security of lives and properties across the communities and state.

“It is indeed a great privilege to address all as a principal stakeholder of VGN and also witness the inauguration of a symbol of authority where our officers are sworn in as enshrined in the bill establishing Vigilante group of Nigeria by the National Assembly.

“This is a crucial moment in the history of our National life, as a Nation where insurgency, kidnapping, ritual killings, corruption, urban/rural threats, and other violent crimes are the order of the day.

“These are very worrisome and disturbing signals to peace, unity, social and cooperate existence of our great country Nigeria. There is a disconnection between Nigerians and the government of the country.

He said the breakdown of morals and order in the society signify the dislocation of cosmic harmony which requires propitiation or rather a serious punitive measures as a way of promoting brotherliness, humanity and harmony in the country.

“As paramilitary officers, my candid advise to you all is to continue to pay more attention to issues of proper moral conduct, and to always imbibe genuine culture and display of professionalism”.

He advised the VGN officers to always adopt preventative strategies in dealing with crimes and criminality in your domain.

“Always ensure you collaborate with your leaders and synergize with all the security agencies in bringing criminality to the lowest minimum in your local government.

“Any suspect arrested should be handed over to the police after obtaining statement untutored for prosecution while the extract of the statement is forwarded to the state command for records.

“This is in line with the directive from the commander general in his inaugural speech during his visit in Lagos state.

According to him, ‘Our primary focus is not only limited to protection of lives and properties, but also to monitor and manage an inter state border squabbles through our democratic ideology of crime surveillance.

” To achieve all this, it is high time our country political leaders took drastic measures which includes stronger and tougher anti robbery strategy in checkmating all forms of criminality across the country.

” Also it is very necessary at this critical stage of insecurity in the country for the federal government of Nigeria to adopt stronger collaboration with the Vigilante Group of Nigeria in particular with other security agencies in areas of intelligence gathering and sharing to prevent criminality in our various communities.

“Those lapse which were earlier traced to our security operatives in the recent times clearly indicates that community policing is the only alternative and credible source to fight our security problems in Nigeria today, he added.

Olatokunbo Afolayan , the New Commander of Ikorodu in his response said that what Lagosians should expect is a crime free society but that they need information, credible ones from members of the public to ensure that crimes and criminality will be tackled.

He urged everyone to say something when they see something because with information the society will be free.

“We promise that we will do our best to eliminate crime in Ikorodu and its environs and Nigeria as a whole.

“As for Nigeria police and other agencies we are one, we will work hand in hand, what Nigeria needs now is more security, even America and other countries are still fighting crime, but by God’s grace Nigeria security challenges will be thing of the past”.

In his remarks, the Lagos state commissioner of police, CP Abiodun Alabi, fdc said that he would ensure the security of lives and property of the people of the state.

The commissioner who was represented by SP Cyril Nwobudo, gave assurance that they will be synergy between the police and other sister agencies to reduce crime to the barest minimum.

Other security agencies present at the inauguration include, Road Safety Officers, LASTMA, Nigeria legions, Red Cross and Civil defense and many others.