In a renewed effort to enhance security in Borno State, the Zone 15 Police Command, in collaboration with the Borno State Police Command, has organized a critical security stakeholders’ meeting aimed at addressing emerging security challenges and proffering practical solutions to reduce crime across the state.
The meeting brought together key representatives from the Nigeria Police Force, the Ordnance Unit, the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Land Speculators Association, student unions, and various women and youth groups.
Addressing participants at the forum, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 15, AIG Kenechukwu Onwuemele, emphasized the significance of the meeting, noting that it highlighted the urgent need for deeper collaboration with stakeholders in a state that has shown remarkable resilience amid long-standing security challenges.
He commended the commitment of all present and noted that their involvement is vital to achieving peace, stability, and long-term development in Borno.
AIG Onwuemele said the forum was organized in alignment with the strategic vision of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, to reduce crime by 40 percent across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory by 2025.
He stated that one of the key approaches to realizing this goal is fostering stronger relationships with critical stakeholders.
He described the meeting as more than just another gathering, explaining that it provides an opportunity to share field experiences, identify security challenges, determine both immediate and long-term security needs, and build trust and collaboration between communities and law enforcement agencies.
He stressed that every sector represented has a critical role to play in the collective fight against insecurity, citing examples from transport unions, GSM vendors, hoteliers, academic institutions, and community groups.
Onwuemele further highlighted the zone’s commitment to establishing effective communication channels for feedback and emergency management, organizing regular public security briefings, strengthening rapid response capacity, and promoting community-based early warning systems in key areas like parks, markets, schools, and neighborhoods.
He expressed hope that Borno could become a model for post-conflict security and resilience through structured cooperation, trust-building, and shared accountability.
During the engagement, participants were urged to share concrete security experiences, propose practical solutions for better collaboration, suggest how the police can support their roles more effectively, and commit to sustained partnerships beyond the forum.
He concluded by calling on everyone to seize the moment to build stronger bonds of trust and cooperation, emphasizing that making Borno safer must be a shared responsibility for the present and future generations.
In his welcome address, the Borno State Commissioner of Police, CP Lawal Yusufu, said the meeting was convened to engage critical actors from across various sectors, including NURTW, RTEAN, CJTF, ASUU, hoteliers, student unions, youth, and women groups. He underscored the importance of transport unions, noting their unique position in monitoring movement across the State, and added that hoteliers play a significant role as some criminal activities are planned or carried out within hotel environments.
He also acknowledged the CJTF’s vital contribution in the fight against crime, especially during the insurgency.
CP Yusufu pointed out that while Borno State has recently enjoyed relative peace, new and emerging threats such as gangsterism, kidnapping, and banditry have begun to surface.
He said the meeting was designed to encourage open discussion of these challenges and develop practical, community-based solutions to address them effectively.
