All roads would lead to high brow Providence Hotel, Oba Akinjobi Road, Ikeja Lagos this Thursday as Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) holds its 2022 annual lecture and award of honours to distinguished personalities including the Inspector General of Police,(IGP) Usman Baba Alkali, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo and many others.
In a statement today by the President of CRAN, Mr. Lekan Olabulo, this year’s event to be chaired by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Comfield Group of Companies, Dr. Babatope Agbeyo would attract a galaxy of personalities from the various security agencies of Nigeria, private security sector, political class, business community and other walks of life.
This year’s annual lecture which is the 25th in the series since CRAN came into existence as a beat association in 1996 has its theme as INSECURITY: TACKLING THE DARK CLOUD OVER NIGERIA’S UNITY, PROSPERITY AHEAD OF THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS. A four-man panel of discussants which includes Dr. Bone Efoziem of Strict Guard Limited is expected to lead discourse on the theme.
Personalities expected to grace the occasion include Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, a former Inspector General of Police, Dr. Solomon Arase, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone Two, Bode Adeyinka Adeleke, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Sylvester Abiodun Alabi and others.
Like in previous years, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi (Telu 1), Natural Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, Osun State is expected at the event as Royal Father of the day.
Over the years CRAN’s annual lecture and award ceremony has provided a platform for security related issues to be discussed by relevant stakeholders and suggestions offered at such fora had been useful to policy makers and others in governance.
Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria is a body of journalists assigned by their respective print, electronic and Online media to report crime and security related matters in the society. Crime Reporters work essentially with the police, immigration, custom, military and related security agencies. They also work with the private security sector and its supervisory agency the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).