Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has requested Fatai Owoseni, the state commissioner of police, to redeploy some police officers attached to the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences.
The request is sequel to last Friday’s raids in different parts of Lagos by officers of the taskforce, leading to a rough treatment and arrests of innocent citizens in the state.
The governor in a statement issued on Tuesday by Steve Ayorinde, commissioner for information and strategy, sought an immediate redeployment of several of the taskforce officers from the unit and possibly from the state over what he described as “unacceptable conduct.”
Ambode said this was to checkmate the reoccurrence of last weekend’s unauthorised raids and indiscriminate arrest of citizens who were out to have fun on Friday night.
According to the state, preliminary investigation showed that the illegal raid was carried out with the knowledge of the second in command to the chairman of the taskforce, SP Taiwo Adeoluwa, without the approval of the chairman, Saheed Olayinka Egbeyemi.
“The conduct of the affected officers is not in tandem with the vision of Lagos State government and is therefore condemnable. Their conduct is also unbecoming of officers who are expected to protect the citizenry and ensure that citizens and visitors find every part of the state safe and conducive enough not only on Friday nights but every day,” he said.
Ayorinde in the statement said the state government’s investment in security and light-up Lagos project was meant to create a 24/7 economy that encouraged businesses to thrive, noting that government would not fold its arms and watch any overzealous officer derail the vision that had earned the government applause.
While expressing the state government’s apology to the affected persons, Ayorinde said government would not condone any act(s) of high-handedness, extortion and disregard for human rights on the side of any of its law enforcement agencies and any public official as the state had sworn to protect and guarantee the rights of its citizens.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing a safe, secure and friendly-environment where every law-abiding citizen could go about his or her businesses and activities without fear of being molested harassed or intimidated by anyone.
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