By Williams Danjuma, Gombe
The Gombe State Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Usman Chuso, has assured residents of the state that the command is prepared to go the extra mile to protect lives and property and enhance public safety.
Chuso gave the assurance on Wednesday during the Gombe State Police Command’s 2026 Customer Service Week celebration, held under the theme, “Going the Extra Mile.”
The engagement brought together the police, government officials, traditional and religious leaders, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), civil society organisations, business owners, students, youth groups, transport unions and journalists to discuss ways of improving security, preventing crime and strengthening public confidence in policing.
Speaking at the event, Chuso said the initiative was designed to provide a platform for the police to listen directly to members of the public, receive constructive criticism and identify areas requiring improvement in service delivery.
He stressed that, as a public service institution, the Nigeria Police Force must continually go beyond the ordinary in discharging its constitutional responsibilities by providing prompt, professional and transparent policing services.
According to him, effective policing depends largely on the confidence, cooperation and support of the communities being served.
“The Nigeria Police Force is a public service institution, and our effectiveness depends significantly on the confidence, cooperation and support of the communities we serve,” he said.
The commissioner urged participants to freely express their concerns and make recommendations on the operations of the command, assuring them that suggestions on crime prevention, public safety, police-community relations and other areas requiring improvement would be carefully considered and incorporated into the command’s strategies where necessary.
He also appealed to members of the public to regard the police as partners in maintaining peace and public order, rather than an institution to be approached only when problems arise.
In his remarks, the Gombe State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Adamu Dishi Kupto, described the engagement as timely, particularly as the country gradually enters the 2027 electioneering period.
He commended the police command for organising the event and prayed for continued peace and security in Gombe State and Nigeria at large.
Also speaking, the District Head of Jalo-Waziri, Alhaji Sammani Bappah, who represented the Senior District Head of Gombe, Alhaji Bappah I. Muhammad, commended the police for maintaining peace in the state.
He, however, expressed concern over the shortage of police personnel in the country, considering Nigeria’s large population and growing security challenges.
Bappah suggested the establishment of a police reserve system through which recently retired police officers could be retrained and recalled to assist during security emergencies.
He said the initiative could help address manpower shortages in the police force, while calling for stronger collaboration between traditional institutions and security agencies.
The traditional ruler also urged Nigerians to respect the law, stressing that no individual was above it.
“No one is above the law. We must respect and obey it even when police officers are not around,” he said.
Other participants, particularly youth representatives, civil society organisations and members of the business community, also raised concerns about security and policing while offering suggestions on how to improve police-community relations and strengthen security across the state.
The engagement ended with renewed calls for greater collaboration among the police, communities and other stakeholders in the collective effort to maintain peace and security in Gombe State.
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