The security of a community is paramount to achieving peace, progress and development. Hence, it is a collective effort where everyone must participate to improve the security of our people.
So Ese-Odo Local Government area of Ondo state is leading the pack as it has gathered its think-tank team to give considerable thoughts on community security and policing.
It is also worthy of note that the role of the traditional institutions is very crucial in our Local communities if must under pin the root of the security challenges in the local government area. This is partly because crime is perpetrated at the grassroots which are the various towns and villages where the Traditional rulers hold sway.
In addition, they are the gatekeepers of their communities- usually know and can interface with relevant influences to initiate the required action for efficient security in their communities and jurisdictions.
Therefore it has becomes expedient to engage and collaborate with the traditional institutions while clearly spelling out their role in our quest for improved security.
Ese-Odo Local government under the watchful of its Executive Chairman Folawe Sipasi-Aluko has proposed an all stakeholders’ conference to bring relevant people together in an effort to mitigate the peculiar security challenges within the local government.
This event that will take place 17th February, 2022 at Igbekebo Civil Centre is being organised as an engagement forum that will draw active participation from relevant quarters and engender discussions between the traditional rulers and the major security stakeholders as well as institutions in the local government.
The programme seeks to brings together representatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Navy, Civil Defence, Amotekun Corps, Political leaders as well as traditional institutions.
Participants are expected to appraise the expected role of traditional institutions with respected to community security and help provide insights, to practically appraise and elucidate on the expected role of traditional rulers in fostering communal security in Ese Odo Local Government also to unveil the Ese- Odo Local government ‘ Know Your Neighbour Initiative’ as a strategic collaborative security watch road map, among others.
The event coordinator Honourable Tob Loko while briefing journalists explained that some of the guest speakers at the conference are, Her Excellency Ambassador Maureen Tamuno, PHd, High Commissioner/ Ambassador Jamaica, Haiti, Belize and Dominican Republic, Vice Chancellor University of Lokoja , Professor Olayemi Akinwunmi PHd, Commissioner of Police in-charge of community policing, Adewale Harry Ayodele, Chief Adetunji Adeleye Special Adviser Security Matters/ Commandant of Amotekun in Ondo state, Professor Ali Alao Babatunde Distinguished Professor of Technologies Management and Security, Temitope Olodo, Co-founder and Head of Africa Security Forum, ASF.
While the chief host is the governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.