The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called for stronger community policing, describing it as a vital strategy for tackling insecurity across Nigeria.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Arewa Awareness Summit on Unity Against Insecurity in Kaduna, the Sultan said lasting peace can only be achieved through close collaboration between security agencies and local communities.
Represented by the Chiroman Kano, Alhaji Adamu Lamido Sanusi, the Sultan stressed that residents, particularly young people, possess valuable knowledge of their communities and should play a more active role in intelligence gathering and crime prevention.
“I personally believe in community policing. To fight crime, we have to work with the people,” he said.
The monarch explained that he regularly engages imams, religious leaders, youth groups and other community stakeholders to promote peace and strengthen security within his domain.
According to him, intelligence gathering remains crucial because community members are often the first to notice suspicious movements and criminal activities.
“The people in the community, especially the youth, are already in the community. They know the community and the areas better than anyone else,” he stated.
He added that stronger cooperation between local communities and security agencies would significantly improve efforts to combat banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violent crime.
“This cooperation, this working together hand in hand, is highly important in fighting crime in our communities and in the country,” he added.
The Sultan also commended the organisers of the summit, describing the gathering as an important platform for exchanging ideas and strengthening partnerships aimed at addressing insecurity.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Arewa for Peace, Unity, Cohesion and Development Initiative, Dr Abdullahi Idris, said the summit was convened to develop practical and sustainable solutions to the security challenges confronting Northern Nigeria.
