Daud Olatunji, Wale Oyewole, Raphael Ede, James Abraham, Edward Nnachi, John Charles and Abiodun Nejo

There was confusion on Monday over the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu’s directive to state police commands on the recruitment of constables for community policing.

While some commands including those of Ogun and Oyo states said they would soon begin the process of recruiting the constables, the Plateau State Police Command stated that it had yet to get the signal on the community policing recruitment, four days after it was sent to state commands.

The Ebonyi State Police Command said it was awaiting guidelines on the recruitment from the Force headquarters, but the Ekiti State Police Command said area commanders had been directed to liaise with community leaders to work out the recruitment modalities.

Sunday PUNCH had reported that the IG, in a wireless message, ordered all state commissioners of police, assistant commissioners of police and divisional police officers to begin the process of recruiting constables for community police.

According to the report, the IG said police commissioners should liaise with traditional rulers and community leaders in their domains to screen volunteers who would be recruited.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in an interview with The PUNCH, said the recruitment would soon start.

Oyeyemi said, “The model will be in conformity with the directive given by the force headquarters. It is going to be in collaboration with the traditional rulers and community leaders. Those are the ones who will testify to the character of those who are to be volunteers for the special constables for community policing. It will start any moment from now .”

On its part, the Oyo State Police Command said it would be meeting traditional rulers and religious leaders in line with the directive of the IG.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Shina Olukolu, said the directives on the exercise were being processed. The Police Public Relations Officer in the command, Olugbenga Fadeyi, said, “Decisions are being taken on the matter.”

We haven’t received any signal – Plateau police command

But the Plateau State Police Command said it had yet to receive any signal from the Inspector General of Police to begin the recruitment of special constables in the state.

Spokesman for the state command, Gabriel Ogaba, who confirmed the development to one of our correspondents in Jos on Monday, said, “We are still expecting it. We haven’t received any signal yet . It’s only when we get the signal to start the recruitment that we will make the criteria known to members of the public. For now, the exercise has not started.”

We are awaiting guidelines – Ebonyi command

On its part, the Ebonyi State Police Command said although it had received the signal, it had not got guidelines on modalities for recruitment of constables for community policing.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Shola Awotinde, stated this during an interview with one of our correspondents in Abakaliki, on Monday.

Awotinde said, “Yes, we have received information or signal on the proposed recruitment of constables into the community policing scheme.

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“The instruction has come, but without guidelines, it cannot thrive. So we are still waiting for the guidelines, so that we can act on them. We are still waiting.”

He added that before the end of this week, the guidelines would get to the command. He stated, “It is only when we get them, that we can know the category of traditional and religious leaders to meet with, on this.

Area commanders, community leaders to work out modalities – Ekiti command

While the Ebonyi State Police Command said it was awaiting guidelines from the Force headquarters, the Ekiti State command stated that area commanders had been directed to work out the modalities with community leaders.

The spokesman for the command, Sunday Abutu, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Asuquo Amba, issued the directive to the area commanders.

Abutu said, “The directive has been given and the Commissioner of Police, Mr Amba, has already given the directive to the area commanders who will liaise with the community heads and stakeholders to work out modalities for the recruitment. The directive was given by the CP just today (Monday).

In Enugu State, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Dan Ndukwe, said that the command had received signal from the force headquarters.

The PPRO said, “The official memo has not come to my knowledge. I am aware of the information but there is no official memo.”

Signal didn’t specify number of people to be recruited – Benue command

Although the Benue State Police Command said it had received signal, the memo did not signify the number of people that should be recruited.

The command spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Catherine Anene, in an interview with The PUNCH, said, “What we were told is that the command should liaise with communities over the policy of Federal Government to recruit young men into community policing.”