Commissioner of Police, CP Ayodeji Faniyan
Plateau State Police Command is set to adopt a technology-driven policing strategy in response to the increasing use of sophisticated equipment, including drones and explosives, by criminal elements in the state.
The newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Ayodeji Faniyan, disclosed this on Friday in Jos while addressing journalists at the command’s headquarters.
Faniyan, who assumed duty on Tuesday as the 47th Commissioner of Police in the state, said the command would review its operational strategies to keep pace with the changing nature of crime.
According to him, criminals had moved beyond the use of crude and small arms to sophisticated hardware, making intelligence-led and technology-driven policing imperative.
“Criminals have advanced from crude or small and light weapons to highly digitalised hardware such as drones and explosives, and they are not slowing down.
“Therefore, we, the crime fighters in Plateau State, cannot afford to be complacent or sluggish,” he said.
The Commissioner disclosed that the Force Headquarters had recently reinforced the Plateau Command with additional personnel, equipment and logistics, but noted that further reinforcement would still be required.
He said the command would also deepen collaboration with other security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, vigilantes and other stakeholders to improve intelligence gathering, information sharing and operational effectiveness.
Faniyan also announced plans to re-jig and reinvigorate the command’s anti-vice squads as part of measures to tackle misconduct and other unprofessional practices within the Force.
He said internal oversight mechanisms would be strengthened across police formations, while public complaint channels would be widely publicised to enable residents to report infractions by police personnel.
The CP said the measures formed part of his operational blueprint aimed at making policing in Plateau State “a positive model for others.”
He stressed that the new policing strategy would be anchored on professionalism, accountability, integrity and respect for fundamental human rights.
Faniyan said officers would be expected to provide quality, efficient, transparent and timely services with “passion, empathy, integrity, fairness and humanity.”
He warned that the command would not tolerate brutality, unnecessary aggression against innocent citizens or other practices capable of undermining public confidence in the police.
“In discharging our duties, this administration shall prioritise respect for all fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Police Act, Criminal Procedures, and international best practices,” he stressed.
The Commissioner also emphasised community policing, saying Divisional Police Officers, Area Commanders and other officers would remain accessible to members of the public.
“My administration will prioritise people and service-oriented policing as a hallmark. We will put the people first,” he said.
He called on residents to provide timely and credible information to the police, stressing that security could not be achieved without public cooperation.
Faniyan also warned against jungle justice, describing the torture or killing of crime suspects as a criminal act and saying perpetrators would face prosecution for culpable homicide.
“Where a suspect is apprehended, such a person should be handed over immediately to the security agencies, which are legally empowered and professionally trained to investigate and prosecute such cases in accordance with due process,” he said.
Meanwhile, the command recorded 30 arrests from July to date, with one AK-47 rifle, three locally fabricated rifles and 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition recovered.
One suspect was also reported to have been neutralised during the period.
Faniyan said the recent operational gains would not make the command complacent, assuring that the police would continue to strengthen intelligence gathering, modernise its operations and deepen engagement with communities across the 17 local government areas of the state.
He further assured police personnel that their welfare would remain a priority, noting that improved welfare would boost officers’ morale and enhance service delivery.
