Lagos is easily the most important city in Nigeria. There is this continuous attraction and migration to the metropolis because the city is generally regarded as the ‘honey pot’ of the country. In recent times, the state has enjoyed considerably high compliments and accolades for good governance and service delivery. Side by side good governance, are a variety of innovations in the areas of transportation, healthcare delivery, security system, education, inter and intra-ethnic harmony, and many others.
Amongst the states in Nigeria, Lagos has the heaviest investment on security. In fact, it is the first state to set up a security trust fund, a sort of government-public partnership on security which has become a model in the country. But recent happenings in the state are indications that the state may be fast becoming a dangerous place for people to live in. This is because hardly does any day pass without incidents of heinous crimes, including violent armed robbery attacks, gang wars, kidnappings and other forms of violence occurring in one part of the state or the other. Consequently, Lagosians no longer sleep with their two eyes closed as the state is gradually slipping into the old era of insecurity.
Daily, Lagosians are bombarded with tales of numerous attacks on residential areas and commercial premises across the state. Two incidents that occurred last week in the state are worth mentioning. The first was the brutal and callous murder of Tajudeen Disu, the amiable Managing Director of the Lekki Free Trade Zone. Disu was killed on Monday, October 12, by heartless rioters at the Free Trade Zone. The following day, Tuesday, October 13, a large number of well-armed robbery gang took over FESTAC town, located along the Mile 2-Badagry Expressway, for about two hours. In the process, they robbed two banks and killed a middle-aged woman and her daughter.
Last Saturday, hoodlums virtually took over the Ketu-Ikorodu Road axis of the state snatching handbags, money, trinkets and all that in broad daylight from motorists and commuters who were held in the heavy traffic snarl. This went on for a long time without any security agency, particularly the police, intervening. The case of these traffic robbers has become very worrisome because it has become a common feature in almost all parts of the commercial city in recent time.
The case of a deadly gang that raided two banks in the Ogolonto area of Ikorodu last June is also still fresh in the memory. The Ogolonto operation lasted for a long time without the police lifting a finger. Before then, the same gang had earlier invaded and robbed the First Bank and Wema Bank branches in Ikorodu killing two people in the process. The list is lengthy. Unfortunately, while armed robbers are having a field day, cultists belonging to various cult groups are also daily on the prowl killing and maiming people at will.
But what could be responsible for the resurgence of insecurity in Lagos in spite of the huge amount of money being spent on security in the state? From my findings, the problem lies mainly on the police. When Solomon Arase, the current Inspector General of Police, was appointed, he tinkered with the security architecture that had been in place in Lagos and other parts of the country prior to his appointment. Being a man who has spent at least 32 years in administration in the police, he removed almost all operations officers in Lagos State and replaced them with administration officers. These are people who have little or no idea about operations in the police. Even some of the Police Commissioners he posted to some states including Lagos, are non-operations officers. He also brought administration officers as Divisional Police Officers, DPOs and Area Commanders.
Today, a good number of policemen attached to the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, as well as the ones attached to the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, in the state, have been withdrawn. About 80% of the DPOs and Area Commanders in Lagos are admin officers. For instance, Sabo Police Division in Yaba is now being handled by an old woman who had previously spent all her career in the admin department of the force. Yet, her division is in charge of such tough areas as Jibowu, Ojuelegba, Igbobi-Sabe and other such areas within the metropolis. Similarly, one of the robberies in Ikorodu took place right opposite a Divisional Police Office that was then manned by a woman as DPO. What this signifies is that what now obtains in the police, especially in Lagos, are square pegs in round holes. This has inevitably created a serious problem in securing the state. Part of the result is the ever-present traffic gridlock now rampant in the state as well as the growing insecurity of lives and property.
Stakeholders easily recall the time one Abba Kyari was the officer-in-charge of the State Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja and the level of success and breakthrough the squad recorded during his tenure. He was the scourge of armed robbers and other hoodlums. Kyari had informants all over the place. Now, the situation is different. Recently, the wife of the Deputy Managing Director of a national tabloid was kidnapped. Findings revealed that the SARS in Ikeja got information and arrested the ring leader of the gang. He was thoroughly “massaged”, a euphemism for torture by the police and he confessed.
By 2 a.m on that fateful day, at least 16 fully armed anti-robbery men were dispatched to the kidnapper’s hideout to get members of the gang and free the poor lady. The gang allegedly ambushed the SARS team that night, shot sporadically and rounded up all the armed men because they (the SARS men) had instruction not to shoot. The gang leader who was in handcuffs, was subsequently freed by his members that night.
The next thing was that the kidnappers negotiated with the family and an agreement was reached before the lady was finally handed over to her family in the presence of a highly placed police officer who had personally coordinated the negotiation and release. That is one of the most shameful things that have ever happened to the Nigeria Police. It is a story the police would prefer to cover up.
A lot of things are happening in the policing of Lagos. That is why the governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, should look deep into the operations of the police in the state. Already, LASTMA and RRS are technically grounded by the withdrawal of police personnel attached to these outfits. Even Operation Mesa, has become a shadow of its former self.
There was an enduring security architecture put in place in Lagos by past Commissioners of Police including Mike Okiro, Sunday Aghedo and, later, Marvel Akpoyibo, which drastically reduced criminality in the state. Successive CPs in Lagos used this template that has now been destroyed. These people were able to achieve success because they were all operations men – they had become DPOs, Area Commanders, Deputy Commissioners in charge of Operations, DC OPS and so on, before they became Police Commissioners. Certainly, not the present appalling situation in which admin officers have now taken over.
Right now, activities in the SCID popularly called Panti have almost grounded to a halt as heaps of petitions are said to be lying on the OC’s table without being attended to. Now that Christmas is fast approaching, it is obvious that the crime rate may likely soar. This is the more reason why Governor Ambode should move in quickly to rescue Lagosians from the present uninspiring police arrangement in the state. And things can only be redressed if there is a change in the present operational structure and leadership of the police in the state. This is not the time for “man-know-man” posting of policemen!
