DELTA CP ORDERS CRACKDOWN ON FOREST BANDITS

Delta State Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, on Wednesday, directed security agents, vigilantes, and civil security outfits to intensify intelligence gathering and root out all bandits hibernating in the forests across the state.

Oyeniyi gave the directive during a security meeting with patrol and guard officers of all police divisions in the state, leaders of vigilante groups, forest guards, and other recognised civil security outfits.

Speaking, the police boss urged officers and the vigilante leaders to “sustain their patrols of forests, rural communities and critical access routes, including roads, waterways, railway corridors and bush paths.”

The CP directed that their activities at the local level be streamlined under the respective Divisional Police Officers, noting that “effective community policing depends on collaboration, sustained patrols and timely intelligence sharing.”

He warned against unlawful detention, torture, dehumanising treatment and the use of security outfits to settle personal scores.

The police boss directed that persons arrested must be promptly handed over to the nearest police station.

He further charged leaders of the outfits to discipline their members, identify and remove criminal or errant elements from their ranks, and refrain from shielding anyone who acts outside the law.

The CP reaffirmed the command’s commitment to working with genuine security partners within the framework of the law, adding that the engagement would be sustained and replicated across the local government areas to strengthen coordination, intelligence sharing and grassroots security across the state.