Emmanuel Ukudolo
Lagos, Nigeria, February 03, 2016 – There was confusion this morning at the Lagos State secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, following decision of the Lagos State Government to introduce tight security measures as part of effort to check activities of terrorists ravaging the North Eastern states of Nigeria.
The operation was carried out by combined efforts of members of the Nigerian Police Force(NPF), officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority(LASTMA), Vehicle Inspection Service(VIS) and selected staff of the Lagos State Government.
Everybody, paedestrians and even those in vehicles with government stickers were made to show staff ID before they were allowed into the secretariat, through two gates, the one directly opposite the Lagos Central Command office for officers with Governor’s Office stickers and the main gate for officials working in the various ministries.
The operation also shut out categories of staff without ID card, majorly new staff and those on Industrial Attachment and others, leaving hundreds stranded at the gates.
Many were seen making spirited efforts to get in while some had to call their superior officers to intervene.
But some who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity acknowledged that there was adequate awareness, with warning for staff to get their ID cards before commencement of the operation.
We gathered that the operation was initially scheduled to start Monday this week but had to be shifted to Wednesday.