Dr Yemi Omodele l Wednesday, August 3, 2022
LAGOS, Nigeria – It is not news that every Nigerian has one or more relations residing in Lagos State either on a private business or being employed.
Virtually all countries of the world have their citizens in Lagos State based on international relations, naturalization, tourism, expatriate and/or employment purposes.
Lagos State is a former federal capital territory and where the federal government generates a lot of revenues, the security of the state is important to both the federal and the state governments.
Since the issue of terrorism started in Nigeria, Lagos State has not experienced it save kidnapping which occurred some years ago and the government of the day then took drastic steps in curtailing it.
Mr Babajide Sanwolu inherited the tranquillity of the state from past administrations though he took drastic steps in sending COVID 19 parking out of the state during its out brake. He also did his best during the END SARS protest in ensuring that peace rained in the state.
On or about the 2nd week of July 2022, it seems Mr Governor and his lieutenants are sleeping in terms of security networking in the state because innocent persons are being robbed or dispossessed of their valuables on the highways, and police officers keep on extorting money from motorists, under children turned the major roads to beggars’ market, Vehicle Inspection Officers keep on taxing motorist incessantly among other vices in the state.
It has been reported in some online media that some criminal elements are planning to invade some states in the Southwestern part of the country and that Lagos State is one of the states. This is taken, serious sir!
So, a peaceful community in Ondo State was attacked recently and the people of the area have not recovered from the shock.
The election is fast approaching in the country. Politicians are looking for magic to perform to enable them to win at all costs. They are looking for votes in all nooks and crannies of the country not bordered by the security of the land. This is callous.
Findings in Lagos State revealed that Maryland, Bank Anthony Road to Ikeja has been taken over by beggars who are not even Nigerians begging for money and using that opportunity to rob innocent motorists during traffic in the day and at night; criminal and fraudulent police officers who claimed to be working with the Lagos State Task Force have taken over Gbagada, Iyana-Owoshoki, Oshodi, Costain, Apongbon, Ijora, Mile 2, Mile 12, Oba Akran, Ashade, Mangoro, Airport, Igbo-Elenin, Okokomaiko Express Roads among others under the pretext of enforcement of law and order to extort motorists. They always carry motorbikes black in court and at times hide in a yellow commercial bus looking for a lone motorist to arrest and intimidate to collect money from him or her. Poor and stupid police officers.
They arrest motorists and take them to a different location to collect money from them. The policemen at Apongbon, Ijora, Stadium and Costain do fraudulently arrest and taken their victims under the bridge at National Stadium and obtain huge sums of money from them if the person does not want their car taken to Oshodi Task Force Office. The ones at Gbagada, Iyana Oworo do take their victims along Alapere Express and collect money from them before telling them to turn at the old toll gate and proceed on / her journey.
There is the Child Rights Law, 2015 in Lagos State empowering the government to do the needful by taking care of the children in avoiding child abuse. Mr Governor looks at this to address the series of attacks along Maryland / Bank Anthony Way Ikeja and other parts of the state where children are been used to beg for money along the roads and persons are being robbed of their personal effects. Children are being used as prays by robbers and/or criminals.
There is no law empowering policemen to collect bribes in this state. The duty of policemen on high way is to correct motorists who make mistakes while driving and not to use it as a means of enriching themselves.
The fact that an election is coming should not be a condition to abandon your duties and responsibilities for the state. Do not allow criminals to take over the state. Call the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Airport, CP Railway, CP SFU and the AIG Zone II to order to direct their officers and men to stop embarrassing motorists on the road with unscrupulous offences. The security network in the state needed to be strengthened to avoid any form of attack.
