Nigerians tasked on adequate vigilance

Nigerians tasked on adequate vigilance
Qasim Akinreti, Lagos

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola and other securities officials

Nigerians have been tasked on adequate vigilance to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), gave the charge while speaking on the bombing of a church on Christmas day in Madallah, and Islamic school in Sapele ,northern and southern Nigeria respectively.

Speaking after receiving the report on the impact of commercial motorcycle operators called ‘Okada’ operation on the security of the State, the governor appealed to residents in Lagos to be vigilant, watchful and to report all suspicious movements and strange occurrences to the security agencies.

The report, which reviewed the impact of Okada business on the security of the State, was submitted by the reconstituted Committee on Security in the State headed by a former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Waheed Kazeem.

The clarion call

Governor Fashola, who advised members of the public not to take any information for granted, stressed that irrespective of the volume of information that may be at the disposal of the security agencies, they would adequately respond when fresh information is given to them.

According to the Governor, “It is very essential that in terms of vigilance, we must increase the power of observation. We must be able to say details like colour of face of a particular person, his height, shape and other characteristics.  

“The members of the Neighbourhood Watch must remain vigilant to notice and report unusual happenings and occurrences in the various communities which may signpost major problems.” He said.

Fashola said that his administration would do its best to ensure that lawful people in the State go about their businesses without any hindrance.

The Governor who commended the sacrifice of the members of the Committee in serving the state, expressed optimism that with the individual experience of the members, the State would benefit from the recommendations of the report.

Commitment and commendation

He also stressed that necessary directives would be given to the concerned agencies on the various recommendations of the Committee to enable the State Executive Council deliberate on it when it reconvenes. 

The Governor, who stated that he has a clear understanding of what it takes to keep a state like Lagos safe, commended the various security agencies for their efforts in keeping the state safe for all those who live and work there. 

Earlier in his address, the Chairman of the Committee, DIG Waheed Kazeem while giving an overview of the executive summary, recalled that commercial motorcycle operation has never been officially recognised in the State, but has evolved overtime due to socio economic reasons to become a mode of transportation for the people.

According to the Chairman, “Economically it has become a lucrative business for its operators who have in turn become very reckless and impossible to organize with flagrant disregard for law and order”.

Committee’s findings

Kazeem said the committee also discovered that undue influence and interference is always brought on law enforcement agents by some influential people thus thwarting attempts to enforce the law.

He pointed out that because majority of the commercial motorcycle operators are migrants from other states who have no accommodation or shelter before coming into Lagos State, they have constituted nuisances in several other wise peaceful neighbourhoods.

Shocking statistics

DIG Kazeem stated that the operations of the commercial motorcyclists have security and health implications adding that 17 out of every 20 robbery cases are carried out by commercial motorcyclists.

  “Between January and November 2011, 492 robberies were committed by commercial motorcyclists, while in the month of November alone, 79 armed robbery cases by okada operators were reported,” Kazeem said. 

 The Chairman said that 1,908 commercial motorcycles were apprehended in October for traffic violations, while in the last two months of October and November 179 cases of accidents were recorded at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja with 170 of them being passengers on Okada.

He said records at the Accidents and Emergency Centre at the Lagos Ibadan toll gate showed a total of 41 cases of Okada accidents between the same periods, while in the 20 General Hospitals across the State 1,039 accidents cases were reported on commercial motorcyclists.

He explained that the engines of the commercial motorcycles are source of noise and air pollution which is also contributing to a depletion of the ozone layer, stressing that there was a need to embark on quick action to reduce the pollution level.

Kazeem said that the committee was convinced that the disadvantages of the operation of the commercial motorcyclists far outweighs the advantages since the injuries and crimes that come with its operation cannot be compensated for.

He alleged that the motorcyclists were responsible for damaging infrastructure through the plying of medians and road divides all in an attempt to create unapproved passage ways.

Terms of reference

The Committee listed the terms of reference with which the committee worked to include an examination of the challenges of the operation of commercial motorcycles in Lagos State as well as an examination of the safety, health, security and economic implications of commercial motorcycles in the State.

Others are an examination of the options of controlling commercial motorcycles’ operators through restriction, prohibition, regulations, classification and categorisation as well as an examination of the suitability of replicating in Lagos State the regulation of motorcycle operators in other states.

The Security Committee was also charged with the examination of other challenges that may be facing the operation of the motorcyclists and also ensure that it recommends solutions to the identified challenges of motorcycle operations in Lagos State.

Also speaking, the Head of Service, Prince Adesegun Ogunlewe thanked the members of the Committee for their service to the State which they completed within the three week time frame given to them.

Williams/Adekusibe/Cokey