By Olasunkani Akoni
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Wednesday presided over the meeting of the State Security Council with the Commander of the Army Brigade, Ikeja, Brigadier-General Nasiru Muazu, announcing a ban on the usage of Nigerian Army stickers of any form.

Speaking after the meeting at Lagos House, Marina, General Muazu said the decision was informed by the security challenges facing the country and the rising cases of impersonation.

*BG-Gen Muazu

He said,  “anybody caught will face the law, including our personnel and family members. Nobody is allowed to use any form of Army sticker anywhere anymore. I want to appeal to residents of Lagos who still have it on their cars to remove them”.

He also informed that a joint operation involving the Police and other security agencies, last  weekend,  led to the arrest of 20 suspected criminals from their hideout in Ikorodu, stating that the operation was a continuous one that will cover the whole of the state.

He warned that Lagos would be no hiding place for criminals and that the choice criminals have is either to relocate or abandon criminality as a way of life, while urging law-abiding residents to go about their normal businesses.

”We are there to provide security cover for everyone. We will provide the necessary security for them, especially at this time when festivities of Christmas are just by the corner”, he said.

Also speaking, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr Tunde Sobulo, said the meeting reviewed the strategies on ground, especially as there are also new developments.

He stressed that the council deliberated particularly on Okada riders and the need for them to obey traffic laws in the state.

”All the Commanders are partnering on this matter, even our men from the barracks have been lectured on the issue of riding against one way, riding without crash helmets, carrying more than one passenger and riding Okada on the highway. It is forbidden to ride Okada on those express roads.

”We are going to fight this to a standstill. Some people are saying that they do not have any other job. Even if you do not have any other job and you have been allowed to go on and use Okada for commercial purposes, you must obey the law. That is what we are asking them to do. Stay out of express roads.

”You are all aware that 80 percent of robbery in this state is being committed by people who use Okada. We cannot fold our hands. The governor has said it. Just think of what they are doing to themselves. Go to the hospitals, go to Igbobi and see them.

The governor is even more concerned about their safety”, he stated.  Sobulo informed that the Police Command had received more heavy armoured cars that can combat any criminal activity and bank robberies and are being located in different areas of the state.

He said; “You can see them now. The notion that we are policing one place and not policing the other is not correct. If you take a good look at your area, you will see more patrol vehicles. We now have convoy patrol vehicles where three to four convoys move together. In the night, we go to residential areas. If you have been listening, you will hear our sirens and see our lights. Generally, crime rate has gone down drastically”.

The Deputy Police Commissioner also warned people against hiring new hands at this period, adding that if they have new vehicles, they should install trackers in them, stressing that if people could spend millions of naira to buy cars, they should be ready to spend a fraction to install a tracking device in them. .

”It makes our job easier. God forbid, if your car is snatched and within five minutes you inform us, we would be able to get that vehicle for you in 30 minutes. Even if it is in Republic of Benin, we know the particular location and would inform the police in those areas and as the vehicle is moving, we are monitoring”, he explained.

Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa who also spoke with newsmen after the meeting urged all Okada groups to join recognised unions.

Mr Opeifa warned that should there be any attack on any Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) personnel or security personnel, the leadership of the union and associations will be held responsible.

Also present at the briefing were Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Major Tunde Panox (rtd), Director, State Security Service in Lagos, Mr Achu Ben Olayi, Commanding Officer, NNS Beecroft Naval Base Apapa, Commodore Jonathan Ango, Commander 9 Brigade Ikeja, Brigadier-General  Sanusi Nasiru Muazu and Commander 435 BSG Ikeja, Air Commodore Tony Omenyi.