Some may have found it unusual, but personnel of the Imo State police laid down their weapons to celebrate God as the ultimate watchman of the state.
One man leaned over, arms held out as though he were going to dig up something from the ground. Another, a woman, held out both arms, her entire body stretching backwards. It was an unusual day in the Imo State police command. They sang and danced in praise of God, saying He is actually the one protecting the state.
The word of God came to mind. “If the Lord does not watch over a city, the watchman watches in vain.”
No matter how heavily armed the watchman is, his ability to stop crime is limited.
This biblical truth was confirmed by the state command when they temporarily “laid down” their arms and took up their musical instruments, dancing and singing praises to God as the Chief Watchman of the state.
It was indeed a memorable sight at the police command as hitherto stern-looking police officers and men dropped the garb of steeliness and danced to the admiration of the civilian audience.
It was at the maiden inter-faith prayer and thanksgiving service convened by the state commissioner of police, Chris Ezike to thank God for helping the command to guide the city against the nefarious activities of men of the underworld and to further seek His help in combating crime.
Aside from displaying intricate dance steps, the jubilant policemen also proved to be quite spiritual as they held the audience bound with their soulful renditions that brought down the “presence of God”.
At the event, rank, religion, tribe and status were jettisoned as the officers and men, as well as the civilians danced together freely in honour to God as the command headquarters was temporarily converted to a place of worship.
In his sermon, the Chief Imam of the State, Alhaji Dauda Onyeagocha, charged the police officers to be conscious of Allah’s injunction on justice and fairness, adding that most acts of criminalities are borne out of injustice and suppression.
The cleric further admonished the officers to adopt good conduct in the discharge of their duties.
“The best way to combat crime is through good conduct,” he said.
Onyeagocha who quoted copiously from the Quran, emphasised the need to seek the help of Allah in protecting the lives and property of people in the state.
He called for prayers from the public for the command, adding that the officers need prayers to “defeat the forces of evil”.
In his exhortation drawn from the book of Joshua 6: 1-6, the chaplain of the Imo State Government House Chapel, Reverend Bunmi Babs said that the police have a sacred duty of protecting life and property.
He stated that the Command has adopted the best approach by putting their trust in God instead of men, adding that “the name of the Lord is a mighty tower and those that run into it are safe”.
The chaplain urged the public to continue to pray for and support the Police, adding that, “as we go to sleep in the comfort of our various homes, the Policemen stay awake and risk their lives watching over us”.
The chaplain commended the Commissioner of Police for seeking the help of God in fighting crime in the state, noting that “it is only God that can guard a city”.
The Commissioner of Police who took the first Bible reading of the day taken from the book of Habakkuk 2:1-11, thanked God for all the great feats recorded by his men in 2017.
He attributed the major breakthrough recorded in the Command in the area of crime fighting to the help of God, adding that it was by divine protection that the Command did not lose any officer in the line of duty in 2017.
Ezike said the thanksgiving service was organised to commit the activities of the command for the New Year into the hands of God and seek his help to protect the state.
He urged his officers to keep up with the spirit that stood them out last year just as he also counseled them against indiscipline and nonchalant attitude to duty.
He said, “Last year was a harvest of criminals in this command. We made high profile arrests, which were responsible for the blissful celebration of the yuletide last year, but we cannot relent and with the event today, 2018 will be better than 2017”.
Wife of the state governor, Nkechi Okorocha who was the special guest of honour at the occasion, thanked the police Officers for seeking the face of God in discharging their responsibilities instead of resorting to self-help.
She praised the police for the selfless service they render to the public, adding that it is only God that can reward them for the huge sacrifices they have made to keep the state safe.
Mrs. Okorocha said, “This Command will continue to do great exploits; the Officers will continue to excel in their duties because anything that is brought before God never goes down”.
She said, “Things will never go wrong in a state that gathers for God. I thought the only thing the Police does is to hold guns, I never knew that they can gather to worship and praise God. I thank God for giving us a CP who is conscious of the things of God. We are lucky in Imo State”.
Further lauding the sacrifices made by the Policemen, the governor’s wife promised to build and equip a two-bedroom bungalow for one of the widows of the police officers who died on duty.
