Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has said effective policing depends on mutual trust and cooperation between the police and the communities they serve, declaring that “the Police are the community, and the community are the Police” during an operational visit to the Imo State Police Command on Thursday.
The visit, disclosed in a statement by the Imo State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, was attended by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 9 Headquarters, Emeka Nwonyi, and other senior officers. Disu thanked the government and people of Imo State, as well as various stakeholders, for their support and partnership with the police, stressing that the force could not succeed without the trust and involvement of the people it serves.
The IG charged officers and men of the command to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and integrity in the discharge of their duties. He urged personnel to respect members of the public, remain committed to the protection of lives and property, deepen community engagement, strengthen intelligence-led policing and ensure prompt and effective responses to security concerns. His remarks reflect a consistent theme he has advanced since assuming office, having previously described security as a shared duty that thrives when citizens and law enforcement work hand in hand, and calling for a policing model that is “proactive, intelligence-driven, technology-enabled and community-rooted”.
On election security, Disu stressed the importance of early, comprehensive and coordinated planning, as well as sustained engagement with relevant stakeholders. He directed the command to maintain effective collaboration with all concerned partners to ensure professional security management during elections, in line with the objectives of CARSPO 2026. The directive comes less than four months before the 2027 general elections, with the presidential and National Assembly polls scheduled for January 16, and the governorship and state assembly elections for February 6.
The AIG, Zone 9 Headquarters, Emeka Nwonyi, provided professional and operational perspectives on policing and security within the zone, with emphasis on strengthening inter-command coordination and sustaining effective security operations. Earlier, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, briefed the IG on the security situation in the state and highlighted the command’s operational activities, crime-fighting efforts, achievements recorded, prevailing challenges and the requirements necessary to sustain and further strengthen its effectiveness.
The visit drew goodwill messages from key stakeholders, including the Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee in Imo State, Evangelist Bethran Uzodinma; a representative of Citizens Advocacy for Peace is Possible in Nigeria; Eze M.C. Nwokoma; and the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri branch. They commended the police for their efforts in maintaining peace and security in the state and pledged their continued support for policing and community-based security initiatives.
In a related development, the IG visited the Chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Eze Imo, Eze Emmanuel Okeke, where he held discussions on matters relating to peace, security and community partnership. The engagement highlighted the important role of traditional institutions in conflict prevention, community mobilisation and the promotion of peaceful coexistence.
The visit was attended by senior police officers, Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, tactical commanders and personnel of the Imo State Police Command, as well as representatives of traditional, religious, professional, community and civil society organisations, youth groups and the media.
Disu’s emphasis on community partnership is part of a broader strategy to reposition the Nigeria Police Force as a people-centred institution. In June 2026, at a stakeholders’ security engagement meeting in Umuahia, he emphasised that effective security management depends heavily on timely intelligence from local communities, noting that many security threats could be prevented if residents actively share information on suspicious movements and emerging tensions. He urged traditional rulers, community leaders and religious authorities to remain actively involved in mediating disputes and promoting peace, and called for stronger mentorship and empowerment structures to prevent young people from being recruited by criminal groups.
The IG has also sought to strengthen partnerships with professional bodies and civil society. In July 2026, he called for stronger collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Society of Engineers in community policing, professional training, emergency response and disaster management. In May 2026, at the 42nd anniversary celebration of the Police Community Relations Committee, he described the PCRC as one of the enduring pillars of community-oriented policing in Nigeria and called for new partnerships that reflect the realities of modern policing, including the adoption of new ideas and technologies.
The PCRC, established in 1984, has served as a bridge between communities and the police for over four decades. Its National Chairman, Alhaji Ibraheem Olaniyan, said the committee had expanded its presence beyond Nigeria to countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, Qatar, the United States and Saudi Arabia, and highlighted its support for police officers and their families through welfare packages and recognition awards.
The Imo visit comes amid ongoing security challenges in the South-East, where separatist agitation and criminal activity have placed pressure on police resources. The IG’s directive on election security reflects the force’s preparations for the 2027 polls, which are expected to be conducted under heightened scrutiny. The Independent National Electoral Commission has itself warned that the misuse of artificial intelligence to create and spread manipulated content is no longer a distant risk to the credibility of the elections, while the African Democratic Congress has accused security agencies of failing to investigate attacks on opposition members across at least nine states.
For the Imo State Police Command, the IG’s visit served as both an assessment of its operational readiness and a directive to deepen its engagement with the communities it serves. As Disu put it, the police are the community, and the community are the police — a formulation that captures the philosophy of community-oriented policing he has consistently advocated since assuming office. Whether that philosophy translates into tangible improvements in security and public trust in Imo State and across the country will depend on the willingness of both officers and citizens to embrace the partnership he has called for.
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