Enugu Wants Watch Groups To Operate Under DPOs

The Enugu State Government has directed neighbourhood watch groups in the state to operate under the supervision of Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in-charge of their various communities.
The state’s Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Poverty Reduction, Mr Obinna Mbaeke gave the directive while speaking with newsmen in Enugu last Thursday.
Mbaeke noted that the directive became necessary in order to streamline activities of neighbourhood watch groups to fall within the ambit of the law and standard community-policing practice.
He said that his ministry had reached an agreement with the authorities of the Nigeria Police to ensure that the DPOs profile all members of neighbourhood watch groups in their areas of coverage.
The commissioner noted that the arms and ammunition used by the neighbourhood watch groups would be duly profiled and administered henceforth by the DPOs.
He said that the ministry through its directorate of neighbourhood watch services had started patrol surveillance on the neighbourhood watch groups, as well as the life-style of their individual members.
“The ministry has now involved all traditional rulers and the President-General of communities to ensure that no person of questionable character is engaged as a member of any neighbourhood watch group.
“In line with this, soon, the ministry will conduct a re-verification exercise among the neighbourhood watch groups with the Igwes (traditional rulers) and DPOs in each community.
“Anybody found wanting in character or having negative record with the police as well as those having petitions written against their persons both at the police and community level would be shown the way out,’’ he said.
According to him, we want to build a neighbourhood watch groups with men of integrity and truth, who can work hand-in-hand with the police to stem all forms of crime.
The Tide source recalls that last Tuesday at a security meeting, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Danmallam Mohammed, had said that the police command was investigating alleged nefarious activities involving some members of neighbourhood watch groups.
Danmallam had said that the essence of the meeting was to re-awaken consciousness as the purpose of establishing the neighbourhood watch groups in the first place.
According to him, the meeting will also proffer solutions that will ensure that the neighbourhood watch groups’ activities are always within the ambit of the law.