WORKABLE OPTIONS TO SECURE LAGOS

Ade Owolabi writes that it is time for state police

He governs the state that represents a ray of hope in a country plagued with a myriad of ills. Lagos State has remained a shining example in Africa as a federating unit. The smallest state in landmass yet hosting a burgeoning population of almost 25 million.

Despite unjust revenue accruals from the national treasury, the managers of the state under the able leadership of Babajide Sanwo-Olu have not relented in providing infrastructure to enhance livelihoods of millions of Lagos inhabitants.

As the microcosm of Nigeria, the state often bears the burdens of inefficiencies and failed leadership of some states. Mass exodus into Lagos caused by lack of economic opportunities in some states especially crisis-torn regions predisposes Lagos to scores of social ills and insecurity.

The #EndSARS imbroglio that was hijacked by criminals last October triggered total lawlessness and criminal deviance to constituted authorities within the state. Criminals who were emboldened by the unfortunate incidence of #EndSARS unleashed terror on residents. Motorists were robbed in traffic, shops looted in neighbourhoods and commercial motorcycles became their best means of escape from crime scenes.

In addition to the Sanwo-Olu government directive to the security forces to flush out criminals from the state, the Lagos State government convened a security summit comprising royal fathers, local chiefs, community development associations, (CDAs), security agencies, among other stakeholders. Sanwo-Olu engaged in what is called the Human Centric Approach in Design Thinking field. The approach ensures that solutions that culminate ultimate decisions emanate from the people. In other words, rather than the government assuming the problems and imposing solutions, the model allows the people and other stakeholders to make recommendations.

Like the Asaba Declaration, a far-reaching resolution emerged from the Lagos Security Summit held at Bero Auditorium in Alausa. The gathering resolved to enforce law banning commercial motorcycles and abandoned buildings that are serving as hideouts of criminals should be confiscated by the state government in the interest of security.

Pronto, the governor moved to action. He rolled out about 500 first and last miles buses as an efficient and secure transportation means in addressing the security threats posed by commercial motorcycles. This was done to cushion the effects of total ban on commercial motorcycles in July.

Also giving the menace of insecurity the attention it deserved, the governor also announced in an interview with the Arise Television that abandoned buildings that are serving as safe havens for criminals will be taken over by the state. He said: “Two days ago, I received a report of abandoned buildings across the state from Neighbourhood Watch. The list is about 250 pages with addresses and pictures of the buildings. These are some of the places where the criminals and miscreants hide to launch their activities. We are passing this list to the security for immediate response and actions. This surveillance speaks to the necessity of state police. All the preventable criminalities happening are because we have not agreed as a nation that there should be state police.

“We have been an advocate of state police and it is one of the submissions I made at the recent public hearing on constitutional amendment in Lagos. State police are a force whose time has come. Whether it is Amotekun or Neighbourhood Watch, these are all pointers to the necessity of states to have police to make them stronger. All the kidnappings and killings we have been witnessing can be nipped in the bud. Our challenge in Lagos is not having forests where kidnappers hide; it is more about cultism. I need to think global but localise my response to these challenges.”

As alluded to by the governor, it is high time Nigeria returned to the path of true federalism. The centralized security architecture is not serving us effectively. State policing system is the way to go. After all, states equip police personnel and provide tools to enhance their work. In Lagos State, there is a dedicated fund called Security Trust Fund that caters for the inadequacy of security hardware for personnel.

In Lagos on Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned security patrol vehicles and other equipment that were handed over to the Nigerian Police Force, Lagos State Command. This is among other measures that the Sanwo-Olu government is adopting to keep Lagos safe.

One hundred and fifty units of double cabin vehicles, 30 patrol saloon cars, four high-capacity troop carriers and two anti-riot water cannon vehicles are part of the crime-fighting equipment donated to the police.

The governor said, “No society can survive without a motivated and well-equipped Police Force. Hoodlums and criminals know this, hence the relentless attacks on police installations nationwide. It is our responsibility as government to ensure that criminals’ nefarious aims are not achieved. They seek to demoralise and destabilise the police and other law enforcement agents, but we will continue to boldly proclaim, ‘Not on our watch!

“Today, Lagos State Government is handing over brand new crime-fighting equipment to the State Police Command as our own way of assisting the Police Force to rebuild, after the violence and massive destruction that followed the #EndSARS protests last October. We are determined to stabilise the security situation in Lagos State, as our own contribution towards lasting national security.”

That is not all. The Sanwo-Olu administration is upskilling personnel of Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps and recruited more youth to deepen intelligence gathering for security operatives to work with.

The government also legislated a law stipulating stricter punishment for cultists. Twenty- one-year jail term awaits any cultist convicted under the new law in Lagos.

The government is expanding opportunities for Lagosians in transport, ICT, Agric and other sectors. In Sanwo-Olu’s Lagos, there is no excuse to commit crime.