Delta CP Seeks Stronger Partnership With Uvwie Monarch To Tackle Drug Abuse, Cultism, Kidnapping

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Aina Adesola, has commended the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, for sustaining peace in the kingdom while calling for stronger collaboration to address the growing challenges of drug abuse, cultism and kidnapping in the area.

CP Adesola made the call when he led a team of senior police officers on a courtesy visit to the monarch at his palace in Effurun during a familiarisation tour of the newly created Effurun Area Command.

The Police Commissioner also urged political actors and community leaders not to interfere in criminal investigations and prosecutions, warning that such actions embolden criminals.

“It is only in Nigeria that you see families of criminals, kidnappers and cultists moving from one police station to another, attempting to influence police officers through blackmail on social media in order to bend the law,” he said.

He noted that Uvwie had recorded minimal interference in police investigations and prosecution of criminals, a development he said might be responsible for the decline in criminal incidents in the local government area.

CP Adesola further commended the monarch for establishing a palace security committee to monitor criminal activities within the community, advising residents to discreetly pass useful information directly to the Area Commander or Divisional Police Officers (DPOs).

The police chief stressed the importance of parental guidance, urging parents not to support or shield children involved in criminal activities. He cited personal experiences of discipline from his upbringing as a model for responsible parenting.

He also advised community leaders to properly screen commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as okada riders, noting that some of them collaborate with criminal elements. The commissioner raised concerns about the activities of criminals from neighbouring countries and the growing influence of social media in fueling crime.

In his response, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, blamed the rising wave of crime on declining respect for traditional institutions, which he said has weakened their ability to discipline errant youths and other offenders.

The monarch also expressed concern that suspects arrested for crimes are sometimes released, after which they threaten those who reported them to security agencies.

He further lamented that traditional rulers who actively fight crime in their communities are sometimes invited by the police for questioning, while some human rights groups also challenge their actions, making crime control more difficult.

According to him, crime would be easier to combat if security agencies and traditional institutions worked more closely together.

Meanwhile, during the Commissioner’s visit to the temporary office of the Effurun Area Command, the Area Commander, Aliyu Shaba, described the command as strategically important due to Effurun’s status as a commercial hub in Delta State.

ACP Shaba commended the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom for his leadership and consistent support for the police, noting that the monarch had also directed his chiefs not to interfere with police duties.

He pledged the loyalty of the command while appealing for the repair of the command’s Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), which has been grounded for a long time despite being a critical asset for high-risk operations and patrols in volatile areas.

ACP Shaba also requested the deployment of additional inspectors and rank-and-file personnel, stressing that effective communication and adequate manpower are essential for modern policing, particularly in coordinating patrols, responding to distress calls and ensuring seamless information flow across divisions within the Effurun Area Command.