The Inspector-General of Police has called for stronger collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and Rotary International to promote community policing, conflict prevention and sustainable peace across the country.

The IGP made the call while addressing the Nigeria Rotary Peace Summit, where he stressed that lasting peace depended on justice, good governance, respect for human rights, accountable institutions and responsible citizenship.

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He said peace should not be understood merely as the absence of violence, but as a condition sustained by fairness, equal protection under the law and public confidence in institutions.

According to him, citizens are more likely to resolve grievances through lawful and peaceful channels when they believe the law applies equally to everyone.

The police chief said the rule of law remained central to the mandate of the Nigeria Police Force, which includes protecting lives and property, preventing and detecting crime, maintaining public order and enforcing the law professionally and impartially.

He, however, emphasised that security was not the responsibility of the police alone, noting that effective policing required active participation from communities.

He described community policing as an important link between law enforcement agencies and residents, adding that communication, cooperation and mutual respect were necessary to address security challenges.

The IGP said residents were often best placed to alert the police to local threats and concerns, while public trust encouraged people to report crimes, provide useful information and cooperate with investigations.

He added that police officers who understood the circumstances and concerns of the communities they served would be better positioned to prevent crime and resolve disputes before they escalated.

The police chief maintained that accountability, transparency, responsiveness and respect for human rights must remain central to professional policing.

Addressing the role of Rotary, he praised the organisation’s longstanding commitment to service, integrity, fellowship, diversity and peacebuilding.

He said the values of Rotary aligned with the broader objective of building safer communities and presented opportunities for constructive partnerships with the police.

According to him, collaboration between both organisations could support peace education, youth engagement, community dialogue, conflict prevention, public safety awareness and stronger relationships between security institutions and citizens.

He noted that Rotary’s extensive community networks and the police’s nationwide presence could complement each other in identifying local challenges, encouraging responsible citizenship and promoting peaceful dispute resolution.

The IGP also proposed that qualified police officers should be supported to access Rotary Peace Fellowships, which provide specialised education in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and resolution at selected universities around the world.

He said such opportunities could strengthen officers’ capacity in mediation, community engagement and conflict management, while improving relationships between the police and the public.

The police chief described professional development as essential because criminal networks continually adapt their methods and strategies.

He argued that security personnel must therefore continue to improve their knowledge and skills to respond effectively to emerging threats.

He also called for greater investment in young people, saying a society that provides its youth with opportunities, hope and a sense of belonging is less vulnerable to crime, violence and extremism.

The IGP said sustainable peace required coordinated action by government, justice institutions, security agencies, communities and individual citizens.

He urged government to provide good governance, justice institutions to uphold the rule of law, security agencies to remain professional and accountable, and communities to promote peaceful coexistence.

Reaffirming the police force’s commitment to its security responsibilities, he said no institution could achieve lasting peace in isolation.

He urged participants at the summit to strengthen partnerships between government and citizens, security institutions and communities, and to promote dialogue and justice as preferred ways of resolving grievances.

The IGP called on Nigerians to embrace the Rotary principle of service above self and translate it into practical action that would make communities safer, more inclusive and more peaceful.

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He said the ultimate goal should be a society where institutions are trusted, justice is accessible and every individual can live with dignity, security and hope.