…Obasa applies for protection, says CP
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh, has said the command has restored the security detail of the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda.
CP Jimoh stated this on Thursday while addressing a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos.
According to the CP, Meranda’s security detail was initially withdrawn for audit purposes, adding that the withdrawal was not done out of an ulterior motive.
The police boss said the Periodic audit of police personnel attached to eminent personalities and groups is a police statutory laid down procedure which is not limited to Lagos State Police Command alone,this is to ensure that the police personnel are accounted for including their firearms and other police crime fighting equipment in their possession.
He said: ” to further ensure that they are on their duty posts and the firearms and equipment under their custody is not misused. As we speak, other Police State Commands in the Country are carrying out similar audit of Police personnel hitch free and without any problem.
“The exercise will equally avail the Command the opportunity to discover
where police personnel are posted without approval and or those that are on illegal duties and unapproved duty posts,so that we can withdraw those on
unapproved duty posts, those with invalid approval and those on illegal duty and redeploy them to Police Posts, Stations, Divisions and Area Commands to provide security and safety for all Lagosians.
“It is important to underscore the facts that Lagos State,the Centre of Excellence with more than Twenty million population but with a strength of police personnel of less than 18,000 in total need more personnel to be at the police posts, police stations, divisions for the safety and adequate protection of lives and property of everyone in Lagos State.”
He further said that the ongoing police personnel audit in the Lagos State Command is done in absolutely public interest and not with any other considerations, except for the safety of all in the State.
“As I speak with you the audit of the police personnel attached to Hon. Mojisola Meranda has been completed and the four armed personnel attached to her from the Lagos State Police Command have been returned back to her for her protection.”
It is pertinent to also state that the ongoing police personnel audit has been on for several days now and prominent personalities and individuals have been complying with the process. The exercise once again is not aimed or targeted at any individual.
The police chief also warn that prominent personalities or Business Executives that have no valid approval or having policemen attached to them under unapproved beats,they are implored to revalidate their approval for those with invalid approval or apply afresh to the Inspector-General of Police for their request to be approved without delay.
He however said for those whose police personnel are still undergoing audit process with the Command, the outcome of the audit will enable the next line of action to be taken.
Let me sound a note of warning that for prominent persons/individuals without valid approval,Police deployment to them will be withdrawn throughout the State.
“The Special Protection Units Department at the Force Headquarters have been mandated to provide security coverage for every Nigerian needing police protection in the country, and will henceforth provide deployment of police personnel for guard duties and personnel protection,will be centrally done throughout the country at the Force Headquarters.
“In the ongoing personnel audit, some personalities approval in Lagos State with policemen attached to them cannot be traced or verified.
However, they can still apply to the Inspector General of Police for the approval of request/application and this will be treated urgently on merit as stipulated in the police regulations of guards and protection of VIPs, non-VIPs and other individuals.”
CP Moshood said there was an application from Hon. Mudashiru Obasa on threats to his life and that of his family in the last few days and it was on the basis of that Police personnel were approved to him for that purpose only.
“The Lagos State Police Command is not aware and not in the know of how and when the office of the Speaker in the Lagos State House of Assembly was broken into.
The Lagos State Police Command is neutral in the whole episode and will continue to do so to ensure law and order and public safety and security throughout the length and breadth of the State.
This we will not be tired of doing at the Lagos State Police Command. I hereby appeal for calm, for everyone to go about their lawful duties and responsibilities peacefully.”
The police deployment at the Lagos State House of Assembly today (yesterday) has been reinforced and fortified with more deployments of Police Mobile Force Personnel (PMF) units, Counter Terrorism Units, Special Protection Units, the Bomb Squads, the conventional police teams and detectives,along with Armoured Personnel Carrier and other vehicular patrol teams to deter, prevent any untoward incident.
The Police boss however said whatsoever that might have happened or done in the Lagos State House of Assembly, the Lagos State Police Command is not in the know.
The Police don’t have responsibilities in the hallow chamber, we are limited to providing adequate security coverage for the House of Assembly and not to be involved in any other matters of politics inside the premises, except if there is complaint that bordered on crimes and safety.
“The Lagos Police Command will continue to be neutral and not get involved in any politics. Security situations in the Lagos State House of
Assembly is firmly under control and normalcy has been fully restored. Lagosians are enjoined to go about their lawful businesses and other responsibilities without fear and apprehension as the police is absolutely resolved to maintain law and order throughout the State.”
