INSECURITY: The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Abiodun Alabi said that there was a partial lockdown of the state by security agencies due to the threats of attacks by unknown gunmen. He made this known on Wednesday.
What We Know
CP Alabi revealed this during the Lagos State Stakeholders’ Forum on Police Accountability quarterly meeting and awards while giving a keynote address on ‘Police Community Partnership: Panacea for Effective Police Performance’ at the event supported by Open Society Initiative for West Africa.
He said the partial lockdown was for a purpose, stressing that the police and other security agencies in Lagos were ready to take on any intruder.
The Police Commissioner also hinted that there were stop-and-search points at different strategic places across state that had become part of the security architectures to combat any likely intrusion.
The Lagos police boss who said that though the number of police personnel in the state were inadequate, added that with community/police partnership, the current number could tackle all crimes and criminality.
He retreated that the police force was committed to accountability, where those with excellent performances would always be rewarded amongst the personnel, and sanctions would be meted out to erring and unprofessional ones.
He also noted that all the statutory duties of the police were about the protection of lives and properties.
He however called on the various community stakeholders: traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders, and transporters to always engage the police in their areas for better policing.
While speaking on the new development, CP Alabi urged communities not to be afraid of giving information about crimes and criminality in their areas to the police and other security agencies.
He also implored them to always be interested in the activities of the police and see the police as their family members and not mere friends.
Catch-up
There has been heightened security alert around the commercial city of Lagos in the recent times following the news that terrorists are planning to carry out attack in the state.
This is in the wake of the fact that the terrorists are beginning to make incremental expansion outside of the northern part of the country where they have held sway for over 10 years, carrying out all manners of criminality and violence.
The southwest have also come under attack on some occasions by the criminal element of the Fulani herdsmen and the Boko Haram terrorists.
In the town of Owo in Ondo State, the St. Francis Catholic Church was attacked by the terrorist who killed over 40 worshippers during a Sunday service, while leaving many others injured.
The coordination of the Omotekun regional security outfit with the conventional security bodies such as the DSS, Army and the Police have led to the arrest of some persons involved in the attack.
