From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

In view of the security situation of the country, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Foluso Adebanjo, has advised residents and corporate organisations in the state to acquire and install CCTV cameras and other detective gadgets in their homes and offices to curb the activities of criminals.

Adebanjo who gave the advice on Tuesday in Benin, noted that the nation was passing through challenging period in terms of national security due to the activities of insurgents and criminal elements in the society, but that security agencies remain determined to arrest the situation.

“While the security agencies are doing their best, there is the need to create a robust partnership and synergy with members of the public, so that together we can achieve a high level of safety and security in the state,” the Police chief said.

He urged residents to take more interest in happenings in and around their immediate environments, as the preservation of a peaceful society is not the sole responsibility of the police and other security agencies but a task for all citizens.

Adebanjo also called on people of the state to be security conscious, especially in places like markets banks motor parks, airports, entertainment houses.

The police commissioner paraded 33 suspected criminals arrested for various crimes in the state, among whom were seven suspected rapists, five armed  robbery suspects and three suspected fraudsters.

One of the suspected fraudster, Akharamen Favour was said to have been arrested at the Ekopma branch of First Bank Plc while in the process of making withdrawals from an account that he had used to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

He was alleged to have sent messages through the internet promising to send the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, questions and answers to them after paying the sum of N5,000 into his account.

According to Adebanjo, items recovered the suspected criminals include 12 guns, five lives ammunition, 67 cartridges, seven laptop computers and two vehicles.