The new Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Femi Haruna, has pledged to clamp down on criminal elements threatening the peace of the state and bring them to justice.

Mr Haruna gave the pledge at a news conference on his plans for the command and the state on Tuesday at the command’s headquarters in Ibadan.

According to him, the command under his watch will not tolerate the existence of any criminal enterprise and will not hesitate to clampdown on anyone threatening the existing peace in the state.

He said, “I also assure the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, that the state under my watch will experience a robust policing environment that will promote peace and tranquillity.’’

The police chief commended his predecessor, Johnson Adenola, who was promoted to Assistant Inspector-General of Police, for his contributions and for leaving a solid policing structural framework in the state.

He said, “I am envisioned to leverage this robust foundation and ensure that Oyo continues to be one of the safest and most peaceful states in Nigeria, where economic development and growth thrive. The police, being the linchpin in the protection of lives and property, will continue to uphold its statutory responsibilities without prejudice to background, orientation, philosophy, religion or association.’’

Mr Haruna also pledged the command’s continued collaboration with sister security agencies, credible informants, vigilance groups and the media to degrade kidnapping, illegal mining, robbery and other crimes in the state.

He said that the command would operate a firm and robust security architecture that would make the state inhabitable for criminals and undesirable elements.

The police commissioner assured that the command would consolidate on the already existing security modalities to further accommodate more actionable tools.

He also said that he would adopt an eight-step action plan, including: strict discipline at all command levels, respect for the rule of law and the rights of citizens and amplified community policing engagements, among others.

(NAN)