The Edo and Ondo State Police Commands have intensified collaboration to combat insecurity along the states’ border communities, with their Commissioners of Police, Patrick Daaor and Felix Ohagwu, leading a joint “handshake patrol” across the border axis.
The patrol, aimed at strengthening security coordination and preventing criminal elements from exploiting the porous border areas, took place from Sobe in Edo State to Ogbese in Ondo State.
The two Police Commissioners also called for stronger collaboration among security agencies and local communities to safeguard lives and property and frustrate the activities of criminals operating in the border areas.
The Edo State Police Command’s delegation included the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Peter Gana; Area Commanders for Igarra and Ekiadolor, Odugbeson Olusesan and Umar Garba; as well as the Divisional Police Officers of Ekiadolor and Sobe Divisions, Temofe Nwanbueze and Agu Oliver.
The two commands met at Sobe, a border community in Edo State, before proceeding to Ogbese in Ondo State, where they were received by community elders led by Chief Okogun Oshokeluse.
Speaking during the exercise, Edo State Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daaor, said the initiative was part of efforts to integrate border communities in both states into the security architecture and ensure faster responses to criminal activities.
Daaor said his primary responsibility since assuming office was to ensure the safety of Edo residents, adding that he had already commenced similar border-security collaboration with the Kogi State Police Command.
“When I resumed as CP Edo, I said my main priority is the safety of Edo people. After reporting, I met with CP Kogi, and today we are here to meet with CP Ondo to strengthen the border security we have started,” he said.
According to him, the exercise was not merely about encouraging police officers to work together but was intended to demonstrate practical ways of achieving effective inter-command cooperation.
“We are not only encouraging police on how to synergize but actively showing them how to go about it,” Daaor stated.
He further disclosed that the commands were working to establish stronger communication channels between security personnel and residents of the border communities.
“We are also integrating communities involved, both in Edo and Ondo, to partner effectively to ensure that they have phone numbers of DPOs and Area Commanders in these areas for easy communication.
“It is easier for a response to come from these nearby areas than to come from the headquarters, as distance has a major role to play in tackling crime and criminality,” he said.
Daaor thanked his Ondo counterpart for the collaboration, assuring that the partnership would be sustained to create a safer environment where residents could conduct their businesses without fear.
On his part, Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, disclosed that the two commands had commenced a joint operation, codenamed “Flushing Out Criminal Elements from Edo and Ondo State Forests.”
Ohagwu said three suspected criminal camps had been identified in the forest areas and that security personnel were already operating in the forests to dislodge the criminals.
“We have identified three camps in the forest from where these criminals terrorize the communities, but as we speak, our men are in the forest,” he said.
The Ondo CP explained that the joint patrol was also in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, noting that the exercise had moved from Sobe into Ogbese, where the Ogbese River serves as a natural boundary between Edo and Ondo states.
He said criminals often exploit the river as an escape route after carrying out criminal activities in border communities.
According to him, the joint operation would help security agencies block escape routes and prevent criminals from taking advantage of the boundary between the two states.
The Commissioners also emphasized the need for collaboration with sister security agencies, including the Edo State Security Vigilante Network, Edo Hunters, the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) and the Nigerian Army, to strengthen security operations across the border communities.
As part of the engagement, CP Daaor visited the palace of the Odibiado of Sobe Kingdom, His Royal Highness Anthony Ero Aleburu, where he sought the traditional institution’s support and cooperation in strengthening security across the border areas.
The Police Command said sustained cooperation among security agencies, traditional rulers and residents would be critical to preventing criminal activities and ensuring lasting peace in communities along the Edo-Ondo border.
