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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

*Says Meranda Security Details Withdrawn For Regular Audit Lagos Police Command

The Lagos State Police Command has denied involvement in the fired Lagos Speaker’s return to the Chambers, explaining that the withdrawal of the police personnel attached to Hon. Mojisola Meranda, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh disclosed this during a press briefing with journalists on Thursday at Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja.

According to CP Jimoh “Periodic audit of police personnel attached to eminent personalities and group is a police statutory laid down procedure which is not limited to Lagos State Police Command alone, this is to ensure that the police personnel are accounted for including their firearms and other police crime fighting equipment in their possession.

“To further ensure that they are on their duty posts and the firearms and equipment under their custody is not misused. As we speak, other Police State Commands in the Country are carrying out similar audit of Police personnel hitch free and without any problem.

“The exercise will equally avail the Command the opportunity to discover where police personnel are posted without approval and or those that are on illegal duties and unapproved duty posts, so that we can withdraw those on unapproved duty posts, those with invalid approval and those on illegal duty and redeploy them to Police Posts, Stations, Divisions and Area Commands to provide security and safety for all Lagosians.

” It is important to underscore the facts that Lagos State, the Centre of Excellence with more than Twenty million population but with a strength of police personnel of less than 18,000 in total need more personnel to be at the police posts, police stations, divisions for the safety and adequate protection of lives and property of everyone in Lagos State.

The ongoing police personnel audit in the Lagos State Command is done in absolutely public interest and not with any other considerations, except for the safety of all in the State. As I speak with you the audit of the police personnel attached to Hon. Mojisola Meranda has been completed and the four armed personnel attached to her from the Lagos State Police Command have been returned back to her for her protection.

“It is pertinent to also state that the ongoing police personnel audit has been on for several days now and prominent personalities and individuals have been complying with the process. The exercise once again is not aimed or targeted at any individual.

“For these prominent personalities or Business Executives that have no valid approval or having policemen attached to them under unapproved beats, they are implored to revalidate their approval for those with invalid approval or apply afresh to the Inspector-General of Police for their request to be approved without delay. “However, for those whose police personnel are still undergoing audit process with the Command, the outcome of the audit will enable the next line of action to be taken. Let me sound a note of warning that prominent persons/individuals without valid approval, Police deployment to them will be withdrawn throughout the State.

“The Special Protection Units Department at the Force Headquarters have been mandated to provide security coverage for every Nigerian needing police protection in the country, and will henceforth provide deployment of police personnel for guard duties and personnel protection, will be centrally done throughout the country at the Force Headquarters.

“In the ongoing personnel audit some personalities approval in Lagos State with policemen attached to them cannot be traced or verified. However, they can still apply to the Inspector-General of Police for the approval of request/application and this will be treated urgently on merit as stipulated in the police regulations of guards and protection of VIPs, non-VIPs and other individuals.

“There was an application from Hon. Mudashiru Obasa on threats to his life and that of his family in the last few days and it was on the basis of that, that Police personnel were approved to him for that purpose only.

“The Lagos State Police Command is not aware and not in the know of how and when the office of the Speaker in the Lagos State House of Assembly was broken into.

“The Lagos State Police Command is neutral in the whole episode and will continue to do so to ensure law and order and public safety and security throughout the length and breadth of Lagos State. This we will not be tired of doing at the Lagos State Police Command. I hereby appeal for calm, for everyone to go about their lawful duties and responsibilities peacefully.

“The police deployment at the Lagos State House of Assembly today has been reinforced and fortified with more deployments of Police Mobile Force Personnel (PMF) units, Counter Terrorism Units, Special Protection Units, the Bomb Squads, the conventional police teams and detectives, along with Armoured Personnel Carrier and other vehicular patrol teams to deter, prevent any untoward incident.

“Whatsoever has been done in the Lagos State House of Assembly today, the Lagos State Police Command is not in the know.

The Police don’t have responsibilities in the hallow chamber, we are limited to providing adequate security coverage for the House of Assembly and not to be involved in any other matters of politics inside the premises, except if there is complaint that bordered on crimes and safety.

“The Lagos Police Command will continue to be neutral and not get involved in any politics. Security situations in the Lagos State House of Assembly is firmly under control and normalcy has been fully restored. Lagosians are enjoined to go about their lawful businesses and other responsibilities without fear and apprehension as the police is absolutely resolved to maintain law and order throughout the State.”