Woman DPO Honoured For Crime Fighting

The Police Community Relation Committee of Ikoyi Police Division, Ikoyi, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, recently rolled out the drums to celebrate its 2011 vigilance award and investiture of members who have contributed immensely to the success of the Ikoyi Police Division in the fight against crime and criminal elements.

The ceremony tagged “Rewarding efforts towards cracking crimes”, which was anchored by Ali Baba, took place at Fortune Hall, Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Dignitaries in attendance included the AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Sulaiman Fakai, CP, Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Yakubu Alkali,Chief Adekunle Ojora, Arc T. C. Awaga and others.

The hardworking woman DPO of Ikoyi Police Division, Aishat Maliki Haruna(SP), who residents of Ikoyi described as the best DPO ever posted to Ikoyi Police Division, was honoured with a silver award for performance at the occasion.

Some of those who spoke at the occasion thanked the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yakubu Alkali, for posting the woman police DPO to Ikoyi Police Division, saying the DPO has done much to dislodge criminal elements in the area.

Speaking at the event, the Ikoyi PCRC Chairman, Mr. Sylvester Ngini, said the event is “the investiture of our patrons and to say a big thank you to our worthy corporate and individual sponsors who are doing so much in providing support for the Ikoyi Police Division to do their jobs and more importantly to honour the DPO for living up to the expectation of the residents of Ikoyi in crime prevention.”

In her acceptance speech, the DPO, Aishat Maliki, said: “I am honoured and humbled to be part of this great occasion. I whole heartedly thank members of PCRC, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Alkali for their support to me and my staff to succeed in crime fighting in Ikoyi.

“Since I resumed duty, we have had challenges and also made a major breakthrough in the war against criminal elements in Ikoyi.

“We arrested a gang of armed robbers who used the marine jurisdiction to terrorise the residents of Ikoyi. They have been transferred to the SARS, Ikeja.

“We also arrested two members of an armed robbery gang at Banana Island, Ikoyi, with  a pump action rifle recovered and another four-man gang of robbers who opened fire at my men on duty at the Deputy Governor’s residence on Gerald Road, Ikoyi, and in the ensuing gun battle, one of the robbers fell to the superior fire power of the police while others escaped with bullets wounds.

“We are not going to rest on our oars in efforts to ensure that residents of Ikoyi sleep every day with both eyes closed,” she said.

In his  comment, the CP, Yakubu Alkali, who got  a diamond award at the occasion for his performance in Lagos State said: “I thank the PCRC members and the DPO for doing a good job in Ikoyi.

“ I am satisfied with the performance of the DPO of Ikoyi Police Division. She has really proved that what men can do, a women can do it better. The information I received everyday from Ikoyi residents is that the DPO has reduced crime rate in the area and its environs.

“I am going to give her the necessary support to do better.

“I am now appealing to the residents of Lagos State and Ikoyi to always provide the police with useful information to enable them nip criminals activities in the bud.”

He added that the protection of lives and property is the responsibility of every one as the police can not do it alone.

—Paul Iyoghojie