Abia State Commissioner of Police, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie has advocated strong synergy between the police and the media, saying the police and the media have common and strategic roles to play in society.
Onwuemelie made the appeal when leaders of Correspondent Chapel of the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists paid him a courtesy visit at the command’s headquarters in Umuahia, the state capital.
He said such synergy would go a long way to enhance the security of lives and property in the state, adding that his doors were open to the chapel for advice and cooperation.
The commissioner attributed the prevailing level of security in the state to God’s intervention, cooperation of sister security agencies and support from the governor, Dr Alex Otti.
“I must give God credits for the level of security so far achieved in the state because without Him, we can do nothing and to the governor for standing solidarity behind us,” he said.
Earlier, the chairman of the chapel, Comrade Obinna Ibe said they came to fraternise with the commissioner and to assure him of their support and cooperation.
He also commended the commissioner for the prevailing peace and security of lives and property across the state, urging him to raise the bar further.
The chairman urged the commissioner to carry the chapel along and to keep it abreast with activities of the command to avoid the members missing major news-breaks.
“Missing such news-breaks could lead a journalist to losing his or her job,” he noted and vouched for good ethical conduct and professional approach of the members to their job.
He appealed for regular interface between the command and the chapel to provide the members first-hand information as “nonavailability of such information could lead to speculations and misinformation.”
Ibe expressed worry over reports of journalists being harassed in the course of their duties by police personnel and stated the need for the commissioner to call such officers to order.
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