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• Ambode assures top cop of support
By Moshood Adebayo
new Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, has said he is ready to dine with the devil, with a long spoon, if that would help keep the state safe.
Edgal declared yesterday, in company with the immediate past police commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, when they visited Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.
“It is my pleasure to stand here as the Lagos state commissioner of police. My policing plan for the state, which is entirely aimed at making the state the safest city to live and do business in the continent of Africa, is based on the philosophy of community-policing and community-safety partnership.
“I intend to partner everybody, to ensure that Lagos is secured.
“I told my officers and men that my passion for this assignment means if I have to dine with the devil, with a long spoon, to ensure that Lagosians live in peace and happiness, I will do so.
“Lagos is a cosmopolitan city, the issue of security is dynamic and of course, policing must also be dynamic.
“Today, I will roll out my policing plan to achieve this. I want to thank the Lagos State Government for its support to the police. Without support, both in terms of equipment and advocacy, there is no way the police would have been able to achieve what they have achieved within the short span.
“Mr. Governor, let me assure you, on behalf of my men, that we would not let you down and the state down.’’
In his response, governor Ambode assured the police boss of support and urged him to brace up for security challenges in the state.
He said the state had, between 2016 and this year witnessed unprecedented incidents of kidnappings, ritual killings, among other vices.
The governor appealed to Edgal not to rest on his oars but noted that the top cop was familiar with the security architecture of the state.
“We are comfortable that he (Edgal) does not have to start trying to learn the ropes because he is familiar with the security architecture of the state and the enormity of the assignment that has been given to him.
“On our part, we will ensure that we support him and his men. What is most important to us is that we must keep the city safe.
“Lagos must be safer, Lagos must be cleaner and it is based on that we can invite investors to come in. That is when we can project our 24/7 economy and so we cannot afford not to have a vibrant police force. More importantly is the fact that we, in government, have decided that, without a safe city, we cannot have a prosperous state and the prosperity and the peace that Lagos is enjoying now is actually founded on that fabric of the safety of lives and property,” the governor said.
Ambode said his administration will support the present effort of the police to scale up community policing.
“We will give the new police commissioner all the support and I want to also say that we will support community policing. You must have seen that in our action which was why we established the Neighbourhood Safety Corps and we want to thank the Nigerian Police for supporting that.
“The establishment of the corps is part of the fabric of the community policing that the police is now projecting and we will support it with materials, resources and also ensure that every community is properly policed and in that, we will have the peace that everybody need to go about their activities without let or hindrance. We are emphatic on law and order and we will ensure that our judicial system works in convergence with the olice so that we can keep the city safe…”
and more prosperous,” the governor said.
