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Chukwujekwu Ilozue
Traders in Onitsha Main Market on Wednesday rolled out drums to celebrate the Area Commander of Onitsha Area Command, ACP Fesugba Temitope for effectively policing the market and its environs.
The traders presented the award when the Area Commander visited the Onitsha Main Market Division of the Nigerian Police Force on a maiden familiarization tour.
While presenting the award, Chairman of the Onitsha Main Market, Hon. Chijioke Okpalaugo, thanked the Area Commander, as well as the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Main Market Division, Joy Ikpeama, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) for their numerous efforts in effectively combatting crime and criminal activities in the market and its environs.
The market leader blamed increasing crimes and criminal activities in the area on drug abuse among young people, and called on the police to take the issue of drug abuse seriously.
He promised that traders will make police work easier in the area, by supplying useful information. He further asked the police authorities to ensure that they keep identities of whistle blowers confidential.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Onitsha Main Market Division, CSP Joy Ikpeama, expressed worry that her division lacks adequate personnel to police the market which is regarded as the biggest in West Africa.
The DPO said the division is lagging behind in so many areas of responsibilities because it lacked some of the things befitting of a full fledged police station.
“The Main Market Division, having jurisdiction of the largest market in West Africa, among other markets, has only 38 personnel to police her jurisdiction,” she complained.
“The Main Market Division, before it got burnt, still maintains same offices that was allocated to the Police Post when it was under the Central Police Station (CPS) Onitsha, and as a result, lacks so many offices like Charge Room, Armory, DCB office, MTD office, Surveillance office, Exhibit office, among others befitting of a Divisional Police Headquarters.”
She appealed to the Area Commander to use his good office to assist the division with more personnel, especially members of the rank and file, to assist in policing their areas of responsibilities effectively.
CSP Ikpeama also urged the Area Commander to prevail on the Anambra State government to release the other parts of the first floor of the burnt Onitsha North Local Government Area building to the Nigerian Police Force, Main Market Division, so as to accommodate other offices for effective and more efficient policing of the area.
In his response, the Onitsha Area Commander, ACP Fesugba Temitope, thanked traders in Onitsha Main Market for recognizing and appreciating what the police are doing in the area. He thanked them for the award presented to him, assuring that it will inspire him to put more efforts in the job he is doing.
The Area Commander also thanked the DPO and other personnel of the Main Market Division for effective policing of the area, despite shortage of personnel.
He, however called for synergy among federal, state and local government area security agencies for better policing of Onitsha Main Market and its environs.
While also pleading with residents to always give useful information that will help police do their works, the police boss asked residents to stop resisting arrest whenever their presence in the police station is demanded; so that the relationship between the police and the general public will not continue to deteriorate.
The event, which took place at the conference hall of the “White House,” Main Market, Onitsha, attracted many police personnel, members of the PCRC, Onitsha market traders, among other dignitaries#
