The Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase on Monday said that 435 policemen and officers lost their lives in the last six months while performing their lawful duties.

Arase said this in Osogbo during a meeting with Osun State Chapter of Police Community Relation Committee (PCRC), where he urged people at community level to support the Nigeria police in fighting crime.

The IGP insisted that community policing is a panacea to the eradication of crime and urged royal fathers and community leaders in the state to assist the police in their respective domain.

The police boss also noted that the Nigerian Police Force lacks the numerical strength that is required to cover every nook and cranny of the country without the help of the community people.

While speaking, Osun State Chairman of the PCRC, Comrade Amitolu Shittu urged the IG to ensure creation of five additional Area Commands in Osun to aid the job of the police in the state.

He noted that the three existing Area Commands in Osogbo, Ile-Ife and Ilesa are not sufficient enough to cater for the population of the state as new communities keep springing up.

According to Shittu, "I want to appreciate the efforts of the officers and men of the Osun State Command in their efforts in reducing crime in this state. We have noted the steps taken by our highly disciplined IGP since assumption of duty and we appreciate.

Shittu however lauded the effort of the IGP in securing the release of Chief Olu Falae saying that his action served as a signal to the kidnappers and other criminals that tackling security is no longer business as usual.

Also speaking during the meeting, the Olufon of Ifon, Oba Moruf Magbagbeola accused some policemen in his area saying they are found of divulging privileged information to cult groups tormenting residents of the community.

He said, “I want complain about the activities of some policemen who divulge privileged information given to them by informants. These policemen are former cult members when in school and anytime people give out information about cultists to them, they would inform the criminals and this is putting the lives of these concerned informants at risks.

” This happened recently in Sagamu and also in my town. I want you to help us on this.”

The monarch therefore appealed to the IG to ensure that the police authorities carry out thorough security checks on those to be recruited into the police to prevent cultists and their sympathizers from infiltrating the police force.