Lagos Assembly Speakership Battle: Police Remain Neutral – Says CP Jimoh 

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh, has stated that the Police is neutral in the State House of Assembly matter. He explained why Police were restored and withdrawn on the former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa and the Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, respectively in Lagos State. 

P.M.EXPRESS reports that CP Jimoh explained that the Command attached some personnel to the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, due to petition of threat to his life and family.

Jimoh, while speaking during the press conference at the State Command, stated that the Policemen attached to him has nothing to do with his position at the State Assembly.

“There was an application from Rt. 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, the Police personnel were approved to him for that purpose only,” he said.

He also stated that the Police personnel attached to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mrs Mojisola Meranda, earlier withdrawn on Thursday, have been restored after official processes and approval of such men as required by the Force.

“As I speak with you, the audit of the Police personnel attached to Rt. 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,” he said.

CP Jimoh also explained that personnel attached to some other very important persons in the state were also withdrawn for proper Police personnel audit in Lagos State.

According to him, periodic audit of Police personnel attached to eminent personalities and group 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.”

”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, we redeploy them to Police Posts, Stations, Divisions and Area Commands to provide security and safety for all Lagosians,” he noted.

The Police boss, Jimoh, pointed out that Lagos State, as Centre of Excellence, with more that 20 million population, but with a staff strength of less than 18,000, needed more personnel for the safety and adequate protection of lives and property of everyone in the state.

He stated 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.

“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.”

“For those 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.”

”However, 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,” he said.

CP Jimoh warned that prominent persons/individuals without valid approval, Police deployment to them will be withdrawn throughout the State. He said that 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.

According to him, henceforth, such unit will provide deployment of Police personnel for guard duties and personnel protection, stressing that such will be centrally done throughout the country at the Force Headquarters.

He further explained that in the ongoing personnel audit, some personalities approval in Lagos State with Policemen attached to them cannot be traced or verified.

CP Jimoh however, requested them to 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.

On the alleged breaking into Speaker’s Office in LAHA’s complex, Jimoh said that the Command was 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 Lagos 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 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 have been deployed to deter, prevent any untoward incident,” he said.

The Commissioner said that whatsoever has been done in the Lagos State House of Assembly, the Lagos State Police Command was not in the know.

He said that the Police don’t have responsibilities in the hallow chamber, stressing that they were 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 was 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,” he stated .