Concerned about the rising wave of insecurity, Edo Government has concluded plans to purchase two additional Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) for the State Police Command.
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who disclosed this on Wednesday, when he received the Chairman and Executives of State’s Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), said it was part of efforts to strengthen the State’s security architecture.
He said his government is focused on ensuring that the State does not produce criminals.
He said: “That is why we are investing in massive infrastructural development, quality basic education, technical education, as well as youth empowerment programmes to create jobs and better the lives of our people.
“For this administration, our first major assignment was to clear out and reduce drastically the activities of miscreants and hoodlums. This move has encouraged a lot of investments, which has resulted to the growth of the State’s economy.
“The primary purpose of government is to secure the lives and property of all citizens. If we have to fulfil our constitutional responsibility of securing our State and the people, we have to strengthen the police as an institution, because it does not act on its own but collaborate with the community it is policing. Synergy creates security itself.
“We can’t talk about security only in terms of enforcing the law through policing, without dealing with some socio-cultural undertones that are creating the problems of criminality among the people.”
The Governor disclosed that the State has a Security Incidents Management software that helps in taking monthly statistics of criminal activities.
He assured that his administration will collaborate with the PCRC to have their members in the Ward Developments Committee (WDC) in the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State.
“The software helps us to analyze and understand what is driving the rate of crimes in each area. We are getting two more APCs and deploying it to strategic areas in the State,” he added.
Earlier, the State Chairman of PCRC,  Rev. Dr. Atekha Odemwingie, commended the numerous achievements of the State Governor, noting that they have brought succour to the people.
“These achievements include rehabilitation of several roads across Edo State, which have made policing easier; the launch of new security architecture and the introduction of EdoJobs to ensure youths are gainfully employed.”
