Speeches

Handing Over Of Armoured Personnel Carriers To The Lagos State Police Command

Feb 23, 2010 - We are gathered today in common purpose to fulfill a commitment to pursue our primary responsibility of protecting lives and property.

As our economy continues to grow to provide opportunities for law abiding citizens and mitigate desperate conditions, we recognize that our investment in crime prevention must never diminish in order to retain our capacity to deter law breakers and protect law abiding citizens.

Our partnership with the private sector through the Security Trust Fund has been most impactful in this regard.

It has brought on a new partnership with the Local Government and Local Council Development Areas who have invested yet again in the purchase of these Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) to complement our efforts.

I believe that this investment tallies with our philosophy that peace, security and prosperity in each Local Government means peace, security and prosperity across the State.

I thank the Chairmen for this most important gesture and investment that will help us decentralize the reach and response efficiency of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), across the State.

These APCs will be handed over to the RRS who will deploy them as strategic support to each of the 8 (eight) Area Commands across the State and will maintain 2 (two) as its complimentary back up fleet.

I must welcome formally, our new AIG in charge of Zone II to interesting partnership in crime prevention and detection in Lagos .

Sir, you are inheriting a highly motivated force that is rewarded for effort and led by an inspirational Commissioner of Police.

The successes of the Lagos State Police Command, its renewed image, efficiency and increasing public acceptance was recently captured in two newspaper reports which I feel compelled to share with you:

Daily Sun, Friday January 22, 2010 at page 13 captioned "Born Again Police"
The "Born Again" policemen, comprising Mobile Policemen and the regular cops, who were deployed in major streets in Ikeja as early as 6 am stunned their critics because of the "civilized" manner they handled the situation.

The armed policemen, whose presence were felt in the High Court Area, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja round-out, Awolowo Way, Opebi-Allen junction, down to Alausa, were seen watching the protesters like any other citizen.

But they did not, of course, forget their mission, which was to protect lives and property and to ensure that the peaceful protest did not degenerate to a violent one.

Quite unlike what Nigerians were used to, no protester was molested, intimated or tortured by any of the Policemen. Strangely too, not a single canister of tear gas was fired by the Policemen to disperse the protesters, let alone a gunshot."

Vanguard Newspaper, Thursday January 28, 2010 at Page 17, captioned "Apapa: Return of Okada Robbers and Police Response"

On Wednesday January 20, 2010 a two-man armed robbery gang which specializes in using Okada to rob people had taken position near the premises on one of the commercial banks on Warehouse Road Apapa and waited patiently for their victim who had gone to cash money to appear. Moments after the unnamed business man came out of the Bank the bandits armed with a new Browning pistol with 13 rounds of ammunition sped towards him, snatched the sack containing the money and zoomed off toward Marine Road .

A distress was promptly sent to the Police and a manhunt commenced. Luck however ran out of the two-¬man gang after a team of anti¬-robbery squad led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Mr. Mohammed Ali which was on routine patrol of the area noticed an unusual meandering of a particular Okada and followed it closely. Apparently aware that the police was on their trail, the man at the back seat reportedly pulled out a gun and fired directly at the tyres of the police van with a view to demobilizing it. But he missed his target. The police responded accordingly and shot him off the bike, while the rider sped off with bullet wounds. The suspect was immediately rushed to nearby hospital but gave up the ghost moments afterwards. When the bag was searched, it contained the sum of N800,000.00. Both money and the pistol were taken to the Station. Incidentally, the owner of the cash was already at the Station to lay complaint about the robbery when the team arrived. There and then, the police announced that they had intercepted the suspect and that his money was intact. And much to the surprise of the complainant, his recovered money was handed over to him.

One of the policemen who was in the team who simply gave his name as Inspector Johnson said "for some time now we have not experienced Okada armed robbery here. In 2008 to early 2009, the incident was rampant but we were able to contain them (robbers). When they discovered that it was becoming very hot for them, they relocated because we were able to seal all their entry and exit points. So it was a surprise when this one happened".

At the Station, the man whose money was snatched and later recovered, refused to give his manes for security reasons. But he could not hide his appreciation as he said he could not believe that men of the Nigerian Police could be that effective in their response. The visibly excited middle-aged business man said "if it was a movie I would have said what happened today was a film-trick but this is live. When the incident occurred, I was speechless because for a' long time now, we have not experienced robbers using Okada to trail people either to banks or on the traffic. But after I regained consciousness and dialed the emergency number they gave us during one of the PCRC meetings, I was assured that the bandits would be rounded up. The voice asked me to come to the Station to incident the matter. I had barely finished writing what happened when a patrol team arrived and brought my money and the lifeless body of a young man from their van. I could not believe it. I have therefore, resolved from today onward, that I will continue to assist the police in my little way.

I commend the gallant and disciplined officers of the State Command.

Our job is not finished, but you demonstrate that if you have the right equipment, you can compete against the best from anywhere.

I urge you to continue to treat our citizens and tax payers who pay for these equipment with the utmost courtesy. Your uniforms, your patrol vehicles and your guns must be symbols of relief and safety for all law abiding citizens and symbols of fear for law breakers.

Toward improved security and safety of lives and properties, it is my pleasure to hand over these APCs to boost your operational efficiency.

Thank you.

Eko o ni baje o!

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Governor of Lagos State