By SULEIMAN SHEHU

The new Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, has pledged to address security challenges in the state to the barest minimum.

Olugbenga gave the pledge at a sanitation exercise and medical outreach organised by the command to mark the 2026 National Police Day on Monday in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the sanitation exercise was conducted by the command’s personnel at the Challenge Bus terminal and the medical outreach at Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan.

The CP said that the police alone could not adequately tackle the security challenges in the state without collaborating and winning the trust of the public.

He said that the sanitation exercise, medical outreach and other activities lined up to mark the National Police Day was to strengthen police-community relationship and build trust among one another.

“The only way we can build trust is by partnering with them, do things with them for us to be able to rely on one another.

“We believe by the time we start engaging with the public we serve, they will understand us all the more and give us timely information to nip crime in the bud.

” As the new CP in the state, I want my tenure to be crime free for economic activities to thrive better and for people to go about their businesses without molestation,” he said.

The Oyo State Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Mrs Esther Adegbenjo, commended the police on the exercise.

She urged members of the public to partner with the police in tackling insecurity in the state and Nigeria at large.

“We should be friendly with the police and provide accurate, prompt, and reliable information.

“They are always ready to act on such information,” she said.

Adegbenjo pledged the commitment of PCRC to partner with the police and other security agencies in reducing crime to the barest minimum in the state.

“Collaboration is key, the public must provide accurate information.

“We know our communities and can identify suspicious individuals among us.

“We encourage everyone to share useful information.

“The public can rely on the PCRC, we are committed to supporting security agencies and ensuring community safety,” Adegbenjo said.

Also, the Director, Nigeria Police Medical Services, ACP Kazeem Olayemi, said that the command targets to provide free medical treatment to about 100 people with high blood pressure, high blood sugar and other hailments.

Olayemi commended the turnout, saying many people have been treated and advised accordingly.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Bukola Adegboyega, commended the police command for the gesture and appealed that the exercise be conducted regularly to assist people who have one health challenge or the other, but not financially buoyant. (NAN)

Update news