David Olorunsogo
Oyo State Commissioner of police, Shina Olukolu has advised the residents of the state to be cautious with the ways they erect grates in their neighbourhoods and community entrances.
According to a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Fadeyi Olugbenga, Olukolu explained that though the gates were constructed with good intention of fortifying the communities against criminals, in most cases, they serve as impediments or obstacles to gaining access into crime scenes.
He said that most times, the police rescue teams have complained of their inability to gain access to communities where crimes are being perpetuated when responding to distress calls.
The statement reads in part:
“The Commissioner of Police wishes to draw the attention of members of the public to the indiscriminate construction of unmanned security gates in our communities and streets. The practice, though, appears to be a response to a security need in the cause of a communal review of the security architecture of their environment.
“But, a professional review of the situation has shown that the strategy does not achieve much as criminals in our midst have continued to breach the constructed gates which are now more or less a monument of no value. Recent experience of the police in response to distress calls have been frustrating and delayed the ability of the response teams to arrive promptly at the scene of incident i.e. Armed Robbery, Burglary, attempted Armed Robbery etc.
“The Commissioner of Police, therefore, wishes to admonish all and sundry to be circumspect in the construction and installation of unmanned security gates in their environment. In as much as it is agreed that we have the right to protect our lives and properties, it is professionally advisable that while we lock our doors and gates against intruders, we should be mindful of other exigencies/emergencies that may require our prompt and quick escape in case of any emergency. Hence, the keys to our padlocks should be readily available. This same analogy applies to security gates that are constructed to purportedly secure our environment. If there is need at all to install security gates, we must endeavour to make them accessible to security agencies, particularly, the police who may be responding to distress calls or other emergencies like fire or other life threatening health issues”.
