Lagos CP visits LSSTF, as Ogunsan reiterates support 

By Oki Samson 

CITIZENS COMPASS– The New Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh yesterday Tuesday mooted a brilliant idea which could further invigorate the task of safety and security in Lagos, National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) can report.

He made this known during his inaugural visit to the frontline security funding agency office, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF). He was received by the Executive Secretary/CEO of LSSTF, Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun; member of the Board, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan; and members of staff of the agency.

The idea pushed by the Commissioner of Police is based on the success of the United Nations Habitat’s Policing Urban Space which is being adopted worldwide.

It is the Eko Strike Force which he proposed will engage mainly in focused policing of the nooks and corners and suburbs of the city while the Lagos Rapid Response Squad will focus on the urban centres. He also advocated that the command centres of many tactical units, strike squads and units which are domiciled in Ikeja should be decentralized to other parts of the states such as Epe, Ikorodu, Idimu to enhance security in the state.

Receiving the Lagos new CP, the Executive Secretary/CEO of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Balogun shared: ‘Every time I meet a Commissioner of Police, you will be the ninth I will be meeting in my years in office. My message is always very clear that we need to enlighten our men and officers to be civil because what caused the ENDSARS riot is still happening every day on our streets. And I always say that, maybe when you get to Abuja with the high command and meet senior officers that are very civil and very easy to approach. Unfortunately, the people that interface with us daily on the road are sometimes not so friendly people. That’s the irony of the whole thing. That’s why the Police are painted as being bad.’

‘We see officers who are reasonable and compassionate. We have to start with this with regards to this strike force that you’re trying to create, it’s a laudable thing but don’t forget these guys are mobile men who by training are kind of combative. We don’t want to create something in one breath, trying to solve a problem and now causing another problem. So sir, whoever you’re going to be choosing, please impress on them that this is a civil regime. It is a democratic regime and they are answerable to the civil authority.’

‘I am sure you know, sir, that Nigerians are very agitated. Yes, they are very agitated now. So we must try to do things in a very civil way.’

‘On the point you raised about a multi-sectoral approach to crime, I think in your capacity as CP of Lagos, we can hold a roundtable meeting with stakeholders. But you see, a lot of times, these things are not thought about. Everybody always thinks that crime is all about physicality. For instance, you go to some areas and see abandoned properties abound there. The simple solution of making the fences and gates of those places visible will solve 80% of the crime there because if I can see what you are doing inside, it will be difficult for you to perpetrate anything wrong. Come to GRA, look at the activities going on in those areas from abandoned buildings where the fences are raised.’

‘I think we will be willing to support you on that, to host it so we call all stakeholders together on a roundtable and discuss these issues. I recall as a boy that I saw my father’s building plan and I think you have to take it to the department of health, there must be a reason for such. How can you have big structures and establishments, and people cannot install CCTV there? The Police must be able to see the footage and combat crime. We’re willing to support that roundtable meeting so that we can approach these things head-on.’

‘I talked about FRSC for instance. Yeah, their mandate is safety on the roads but imagine that they stopped a vehicle now and the officer is observing why is the boot of this car so heavy? As a law enforcement officer, he should be able to ask can I see your boot? You can open that boot and find four dead bodies there. That is the way crime is approached. It cannot be that, the FRSC feels that my job only is those particulars of vehicles. So I think you can drive this conversation and we are willing and ready to support you on that.’

‘I want to thank you for your service to our country. I always do that because those of us that work with you know what you go through. Somebody will say, why are you giving the Police air conditioner? So I ask, don’t the Police deserve air conditioners? It’s the psyche of our people. It’s the mindset of our people.’

In his speech at the visit, CP Jimoh Moshood who took office earlier in February this year said: ‘I want to take time out to appreciate the Executive Secretary and appreciate Lagos State Security Trust Fund for all what you have been doing for the Lagos State Police Command that have made the job of policing in Lagos much more easier. Lagos is a center of excellence and Lagos is a pacesetter across the country. The Security Trust Fund is being replicated across the country. Also today, you have RRS in Abuja, and the postings come from Force Headquarters but the funding partly comes from the FCT. What the FCT used to have is what we call Abuja Crime Control Squad, but because they know that RRS is working and has a broad-based blueprint in ensuring adequate security in Lagos, that is now being replicated.

‘In our earlier discussion with the LSSTF Board Member, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan whom I respect so much, I told him that we need to do something a little bit different, because you have been doing something that others are doing. I pleaded with Dr. Ogunsan that we have to attend a broad-based meeting at the UN Habitat. In 2010, the UN Habitat started a project in Nigeria called Policing Urban Space. Since then, there has not been follow-up, either from the FCT administration or from the federal government on Policing Urban Space, which is an initiative of the UN Habitat. We had a lengthy meeting with them, their headquarters is in Kenya while the regional headquarters is in Abuja Nigeria, which covers the whole of West Africa.’

‘They are very happy that we are coming to them so that they can create what we call a template to work for a safer Lagos though we already have the structure in place in Lagos, but if we don’t have such an organization to channel a roadmap into which you can build on, it won’t be good enough. I know that Governor Sanwo-Olu is very much concerned about improving on what he met on ground. We have been given the comprehensive blueprint of what is expected of us and probably when we meet Mr. Governor, we will present to him. I discussed with Dr. Ayo that we are thinking of establishing what we call the Eko-Strike Force.’

‘We have the RRS which is an elite police team. Then if we have the Eko-strike force which is going to have a double face – the overt and the covert. The covert will essentially be populated by officers who are going to be undercover, our tactical escort. The vehicle they are going to use will be completely different from what the overt will be using. The overt, at the initial stage will have large numbers of vehicles and it’s going to be an all mobile patrol team. They are going to be stationed in Surulere at the area C Command Headquarters. If there’s any incident on the island, they can swiftly move as a team and if on the mainland, they can swiftly move as a team. Each of the team will be from MOPOL 2, MOPOL 22, 23, 43, and 49. That will be what will be prescribed on their vehicles so that they can move jointly, part of the vehicle that you are giving us will be for that purpose.’

‘The covert team will be the tactical squad. They will not use conventional police patrol vehicles. Primarily what we used to do in Abuja then is to use a space bus. We can paint the bus in regular commercial bus colors so that they can walk undercover and be able to attend to the urgent situation at hand. That’s what we discussed that we’re going to bring on board to make a difference. This equally will be integrated into the Policing Urban Space plan that we have with the UN Habitat.’

Further, most of our squadron’s bases are located in Ikeja. Ikeja is choked up with police formations. We have the MOPOL 22 and 20, in the same facility. You have the SPU Base 2, you have the Base 16, you have 17. We discussed this morning that we are going to make a proposal to Mr. Governor to move them out. We have Ikorodu already covered, we have Epe already covered. Then we have the Keffi, you can cover on that route. Then we should have something like a new formation in Oko Baba area.’

If we can move MOPOL 22 to Oko Baba, there’s another area we can talk about. It’s in Idimu, So that Idimu too can have a new formation. All these strike forces will be moved so that if there’s any incident, they can respond to this because part of the problem we faced during ENDSARS is that Lagos was not sectorized. We have seven squadrons in Lagos, two for the Force headquarters and five for the Lagos command. If we sectorize Lagos and put each squadron command in charge, it will be very easy for us to have a hub. Even when a station is being attacked, we can have a haven where we move all our equipment and our personnel can swiftly respond there. As it stands currently, once you cut Ikeja off you cut more than 70% of our capacity to respond to crisis off. That is part of what we are going to do in our new strategy’, Jimoh stated.

The LSSTF Board Member, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan highlighted the need to support the innovative ideas of the new CP. He praised CP Olohundare Jimoh for

his drive, diligence, and dexterity since becoming CP. He was emphatic about the grace and candor in which he assumed the job especially in the light of the difficult challenges of that period.

Ogunsan was very optimistic that the new CP will enjoy tremendous support of Lagos State, many of whom have involved my expertise and experience in engaging with the intricacies of the development of the ideas, the planning, and subsequent execution. You have my word, I will put my energy behind you. God bless you on this new journey which is a significant one for your trajectory as a Police officer in the Nigeria Police Force.’