Governor pays N60m to families of slain policemen
By Demilade Adeniyi
Lagoss State Governor Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, made a solemn pledge to always protect the lives and property of Lagosians.
He said his government will stop at nothing to flush out all criminal elements whose sole aim is to foment chaos and perpetrate crime.
He spoke at the 14th annual town hall meeting on security, organised by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), where he told members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS), that the Fund to which they had actively contributed since its formation in 2007, has rejigged security and year after year, ensured the safety of lives.
He said the government is on the verge of introducing a broad security reform before the EndSARS protests. He said despite the drawback, government is poised to robust security architecture.
He disclosed an imminent take-off of community policing in the state.
He said: “The Year 2020 has indeed been one of complex challenges to the ssafety and security architecture in the state, but we are rising to the challenge and crisis management capacity. But we are resolute about rising above these challenges that threatens our safety and wellbeing.”
Restating that there is no hiding place for criminals and bandits in the state, the governor said government in the 2021 appropriation bill, made provision to commit N32.76 billion to public order and safety, in a bold attempt to secure the state and made it crime-free.
As part of the ongoing security reforms, Sanwo-Olu hinted at a comprehensive reform of the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA), to identify residents of the state as the government going forward may begin to enforce LASRRA registration in addition to other safety and security protocols.
The governor said: “Our collective reolve to defeat crime and criminality has so far ensured zero bank robberies in Lagos. We trained and equip the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), as the foremost crime-busting outfir in Nigeria and through our collective collaboration, we can ensure that our Lagos is not only safe, but also henceforth immune to the level of destruction we witnessed in October.”
The LSSTF Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer Dr Abdurrazaq Balogun said its establishment in 2007, the Fund has continued to deliver on its mandate to provide equipment , logistics and training for the police and other security agencies.
According to him, apart from providing major equipment such as patrol vehicles, communication repeaters including walki talkies, base raqdioa and communication masts, armoured personnel carriers, motircycles, patrol boats, generators, bullet proof vests, ballistic helmets, uniforms and sweater, rain coats with boots among others, the fund also provides maintenance, repairs and consumables routinely to the police.
“An estimated 80percent of the operational vehicles in use by the police in the last 13 years have been through the LSSTF. The communication equipment, including repeaters for the police, all assets of OP MESA, and the Marine Police Unit were procured by the Fund. These interventions have indeed been vital to the operations of the police and security operatives,” he further stated.
He said this year’s theme, Lagos security: resilience in the face of adversity, is aimed at retooling the Fund, in order to re-equip the police which had received the full brunt of the EdSARS violence to ensure that the state could rebound and deliver a year round safe Lagos.
He said: “Our security agencies are in dire need of basic infrastructure and equipment to function effectively and we need to come to their aid as a matter of urgency in our collective self-interest.”
The Commissioner of Police Hakkem Odumosu said crime statistics from October 2019 till September 2020 showed a downward trend compared to what obtained the previous year, adding that crime and criminalities have been nipped in the bud. He said the personnels in the command has shown that with the necessary tools to work with, the command can put crime and criminalities in permanent check.
Odumosu who reeled out various statistics of crimes and criminal activities in the year from various parts of the state, appreciates the government and the Fund’s strategic support, which has made their operations easier.
In line with the decision of the state to put an end to ugly one-way driving culture, Odumosu saod anti-one way section has been created at the State Task Force on Environmental Offences Unit, and the Governor’s Monitoring Team, even as similar sections have been set across Police Area Commands, which comprises Police, LASTMA and FRSC personnel.
He said 1000 police personnel of the command have been mobilized to enforce operation keep Lagos Traffic Moving, especially during the yuletide, adding that the police as part of the security reforms would be more responsive to protecting lives and property.
The Police chief said: “We are using this medium to implore all Lagosians to continue to be law abiding and obey all traffic regulations.”
The LSSTF’s Board of Trustees Chairman Mr Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti said the board which came on board in July, this year saw early the need to build on the successes of the past boards and ensure the Fund responds creditably in retooling the state’s security architecture.
The highpoint of the event was the presentation of N60 million to the six police personnels killed in the EndSARS protests in the state.
Presenting a N10 million cheque to each of the wives of the officers, the governor also pledged scholarship award to all children left behind by the officers.
Among those awarded the cash benefit are; late ASP Yaro Edwards, who until his death was attached to Denton Police Division, and late Inspector Adegbenro Aderibigbe, who until his death was attached to Meiran Police Station, late Inspector Ayodeji Erinfolami, attached to the anti-kidnapping unit, late Inspector Samson Ehibo, attached to Ilasamaja Police Station, Sergeant Abiodun Bejide of the Operation Department.