Ogun CP: Makama bows out, as Ebrimson assumes office

By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
The new Commissioner of Police for Ogun State Police Command, Kenneth Ebrimson has assumed office, just as his predecessor, Bashir Makama finally bowed out after a meritorious service in the state.
The former Akwa Ibom command CP was welcome into his new duty command by rank and file officers at a ceremony held at the police officers mess on Wednesday, where Makama was bided farewell by the officers after officially handed over to his successor.
In his farewell message, Makama, who was posted to the state in march this year eulogised the officers for their cooperation and support given to him throughout his stay in the command. He hereby enjoined them to extend the same kind of gestures accorded him to the new helmsman and to sustain the relative peace across the state.
He said: “Everyone is aspiring to grow higher, and with the recent happening, my luck has started shinning already, even with this change of baton. No secrecy in serving, one just have to be transparent in service.
“I am calling for cooperation of all officers for the new CP, no vacuum in the position. Invigorate your support for him. If you go to sleep, and make your area not safe, it will affect your record. Whatever you’re doing should be for the benefit of the state, people and the environment. Hope that you will continually be part of the winning team.”
In his response, CP Ebrimson emphasised that he is back to a familiar terrain having served at different areas in the state before he was transfered out of the state.
He said: “Ogun State command is my familiar terrain. I have served at various areas here before. I was once the Divisional Crime Officer at Ilaro; staff officer at Eleweran; Divisional Police Officer at Idiroko, and later became the Area Commander at Sagamu Area Command.
“I left a legacy there, if you go to the command you will see my plaque. As Area Commander, I constructed a befitting office for Area Commander within two to three months of assumption of office, that is what I intend to enforce in this my second coming to the state.
“My officers will hit the ground. The tripod I will fall on are physical policing, intelligent led, and respect for human rights and human dignity. That is the tripod in which I will stand to ensure that will do a better service delivery to the people of Ogun State.”
While responding on whether he will sustain the citizens complaints hot centre, he said: “I will come up with my own programme. I have a more hotter programme because I have seen it. I have been in the theatre of war, I have been in a theatre where there was criminality, I have been in a theatre where there was banditry, I have been in the theatre where there was cattle rustling. I have been in the theatre where there was kidnapping. So I have what it takes to cage some of these crimes and I will soon hit the ground running.”
On the aspect of changing the winning team, he stated: “As long as they are doing their job, doing their best, and there is an adage that says ‘you don’t change a winning team’. That does not mean we will not look inward and tinker some areas that will bring the best, the potential of the policemen on board. 
“You know we have to be very proactive in our approach. If you are proactive, it will reduce the crime rate, that proactive will now come in form of physically policing, policemen are seeing. When you see policemen carrying arms on stop and search, it is a very great deterrent to any form of crime, so that is what we are going to partner with to ensure that what we have mentioned will be knit on the board.
“I need of your support, engagement cooperation. Information is key and when you hear any, I will open my phone will be opened twenty four hours. Please let’s not be speculating, when you hear information or something that is not clear, reach me for clearance. I have nothing to hide.”
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