Press Releases

Crime Detection: Fashola Calls For Investment In Technology
…Empathises with Journalists over slain colleagues

May 3, 2010 - Against the backdrop of incessant and undetected killings across the country, especially in recent times, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Monday called on governments at both the Federal and state levels to invest in technologies that assist security agents to detect perpetrators of crime.

Governor Fashola, who spoke at the Lagos House, Marina, while addressing a delegation of the Nigerian Union of Journalists who came to deliver a letter to him for onward transmission to the Acting President after a rally to protest the killing of journalists in the country, said for the security agents to work effectively to detect crime and arrest culprits, they must be equipped adequately.

Stressing particularly the importance of electricity in crime detection, Governor Fashola declared, “Crime detection has left the old methods of detective work. It is moving into the realm of Science and no nation can survive that does not have power”, expressing joy that Power is one of the problems the Federal Government is addressing at the moment.

The Governor, who expressed his concern and worry over the killings recently, lamented, “I like to say that every time the life of a citizen is lost, it diminishes me as head of a government” adding, “This is why we will spare no efforts to continue to increase the capacities of our security agencies to protect life and properties”.

“I have often taken the view that no investment is too much to make to save life because no amount of money will ever be enough to bring back life”, the Governor said, pointing out, however, that there are difficulties and challenges being experienced along the way which, according to him, “is people-created”.

“I understand and empathize with you about the feelings that you must nurture for the loss of your colleagues. I empathize with the families and children of the departed. But the truth is, what lessons have we learnt from this and what actions are we taking? Does our country have forensic laboratory that can do DNA examinations in order to achieve and assist the Police men and women to detect crime? Crime detection is not a mystery; it is forensic work that requires equipment, that requires technology”, the Governor said.

Listing such evidence like saliva, strands of hair and sweat as some of the materials that could be used by security agents to assist them in crime detection, the Governor declared, “If we don’t equip people to do their job properly, I do not think we have the moral high ground to condemn them”.

Governor Fashola lamented that it is only in Nigeria within the West African sub-region where one could buy sim cards without identification pointing out that it is only when the identity of the caller is ascertained that the police is empowered to detect who made the last call and what was said to the victim of assassination.

The Governor expressed happiness that there is a bill before the National Assembly on the matter, but added, “I think that even before the bill is passed, in matters of National Security, the President can act with Executive Orders”.

He expressed regrets that instead of using the telephone to assist and improve the quality of their lives as it is rightly meant to be used, some people have turned them into tools of terrorism and for sending threat messages adding, “When we did not have telephones, we were complaining; now we have it, are we using them for the purpose for which they are meant?”

Promising to deliver the protest letter of the Union to the Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Fashola urged the Union to continue to keep faith and be strong “because as you rightly acknowledged, our democracy depends on you. There will be no democracy without a free and courageous press”.

“We will acknowledge that those who have fallen are martyrs of our democracy. We pray that God grants them peaceful repose. We will continue to do our best within very difficult conditions”, the Governor said commending the State Police Commissioner for the progress made so far in efforts to unravel some of the crimes.

Earlier in his remarks, the National President of the NUJ, Mr. Mohammed Garba said the purpose of the rally and visit to the Governor was to deliver a letter of protest to the Vice President over the killing of Journalists, especially in recent times and the fact that none of the killers has been found.

According to the President , it was the thinking of members of the Union that because no one has so far been arrested for the killing of the pioneer Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch, Mr. Dele Giwa who was assassinated in 1986, that more and more journalists are being killed with impunity.

“We want to tell Government and all those involved that there has to be a stop to this unfortunate incidents. We have to recall the contributions of the media in the development of this country. Without the media, I believe there won’t be any democracy in this country. We need to be treated like other Nigerians. We have a right to protection and we have a right to security”, he said.

Thanking the Governor for making time to receive the delegation, Garba who later handed the letter of protest to the Governor for onward transmission to the Acting President, also expressed joy at the cordial relationship existing between the Governor and the Media in Lagos adding ”It is my hope and prayer that this relationship will continue.’’

Also on hand to receive the journalists with the Governor were the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele and some other members of the State Executive Council while among the delegation were the Chairman of the Lagos Council of the NUJ, Mr. Wahab Oba, the Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Vice President South West of the NUJ, executives of the Lagos Council and other National officers.