BY Emmanuel AKPAN
Members of Neighbourhood Watch, a voluntary Community Security Partners with the Nigeria Police Force were last Friday treated to a breakfast meeting with the Abak Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Superintendent of Police (SP) Celetine Umeh.
The breakfast meeting, which took place a the force Divisional Headquarters, Abak, had in attendance both coordinators and members of Neighbourhood Watch from all the Clans in Abak Local Government Area.
Speaking, SP Umeh said the breakfast meeting was to enable him familiarize himself more with members of the group and also thank them for their supports and contributions towards fighting crime in the area.
The DPO noted that meeting with them was to create an a opportunity to interact as well as know some challenges facing the security group.
SP Umeh, who maintained that the peace enjoyed in the area is as a result of teamwork between the Nigeria Police Force and Neighbourhood Watch members, urged members of the group to continue with their good work in order to keep the area peaceful.
The Abak DPO stressed that securing life and property is very paramount to the Nigeria Police Force and that the Division under is watch will do everything possible to ensure that there is peace in the area. He charged Neighbourhood Watch members to always be vigilant and be conscious while discharging their duties.
He further urged them not hesitate to call on the police whenever they have any challenge in the course of fighting crime in area. He thanked them for turning out in large numbers for the meeting, saying he has resolved to be meeting with them every last Friday of the month.
In his words, “I want to thank you all for coming out for the meeting. I want to appreciate all that this group has been doing to maintain peace and order in Abak. Having meetings with the host community is now priority to the Nigeria Police Force because it will create good relationship between the police and the community. ”
The DPO used opportunity to promised un behalf of the Police to provide all the necessary security equipments to members of Neighbourhood Watch to aide them in their work even as he called on good sons and daughters of Abak to help by donating financially as well as materials to the on going projects at Divisional Headquarters.
Responding, the chairman of Neighbourhood Watch, Pastor Friday Bill said Neighbourhood Watch is a security outfit that partners with the Nigeria Police Force to combat crime in rural areas. He said their main duty is to watch neighbouring people of their activities and also report to the police.
Pastor Bill disclosed that the outfit started four years ago its activities and operatives are being screened by the police and that they have recorded success in the past years in the area by combating crimes in all the villages that make up Abak Local Government Area. He said they have so far arrested armed robbers and cultists and handed them over to the police thereby helping in reducing crimes in the area.
While hinting that the outfit has cut across over twelve Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State, Bill lamented challenges facing them to include; mobility, uniform, boot, raincoat, torchlight among other equipments that would help them in discharging their duties effectively.
Also, a member of Neighbourhood Watch, Prince Umoh called on the village heads to help in securing their various communities by providing useful information to them. Prince Umoh who is a retired Superintendent of Police, thanked the Abak Divisional Police Officer for initiating the meeting, saying it will go a long way to create good relationship between the police and the outfit.
In their separates speeches, Mr Udeme Akpan, Mr Emmanuel Eyo and Mr Akaninyene Edet commended the police force for the cooperation the group has enjoyed since the establishment of the outfit. They thanked SP Celetine Umeh for recognising as well as working with Neighbourhood Watch members to ensure peace and crime free in Abak Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, a get together party between members of the Nigeria Police Force, Abak Division and Neighbourhood Watch members will take place later in the month where political office holders, government appointees as well as prominent sons and daughters of Abak Local Government Area would be in attendance.
