*Urges Cooperation Of Residents
*Commander, Guards Brigade, Chairman, FCT Chiefs Council Headline Array Of Dignitaries At Event
By our reporter
Moving to tackle the growing menace of kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes in the nation’s capital territory, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police (CP) Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, has taken the battle to the next level, launching a new Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).
The unit was officially inaugurated on Monday at the former SARS Office located at Guzape Junction, Abuja.
The vital importance of the move was underlined by the quality of guests at the event.
There were heads and representatives of sister security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, senior police officers, and other stakeholders, including the Ona of Abaji and Chairman, FCT Council of Chiefs, His Royal Highness Alhaji Dr. Adamu Baba Yunusa; Commander of Guards Brigade, Brigadier General A.O. Onasanya, as well as representatives of the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Immigration Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Addressing the gathering, CP Sanusi said the establishment of the VCRU underscored the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to proactively address security threats including armed robbery, kidnapping, violent attacks, organized criminal activities, and other serious offences.
He disclosed that the unit has been strategically divided into five operational sectors across the FCT to ensure wider coverage, improved intelligence gathering, quicker response to distress calls, and more effective deployment of personnel and resources.
Dwelling on the critical aspect of personnel picked to man the unit, CP Sanusi said that the officers underwent a rigorous screening and training process, stressing that professionalism, discipline, accountability, and respect for human rights would remain at the core of their operations.
Laying a behavior marker for the officers, CP Sanusi warned that acts of misconduct, abuse of authority, harassment, extortion, and other unprofessional practices would not be tolerated, stressing that they would be held to the highest standards of conduct.
Turning to FCT residents, Sanusi urged them to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information, noting that lasting security can only be achieved through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the public.
He assured residents of the Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property while encouraging them to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency lines.
Speaker after speaker praised the Command’s initiative in setting up the unit, saying it should go a long way in stemming the incidence of crime in the nation’s capital.
*PHOTO CAPTION: CP Sanusi.
