By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, disclosed that the state, through the State Security Trust Fund, has spent about N3 billion to support the police this year.
The governor said the money was used to procure vehicles (180), motorbikes (200), Armoured Personnel Carriers (8), water cannons (2), cellular communication devices, Level IV bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets, and other items, with active support from the private sector.
Sanwo-Olu spoke yesterday at the 15th security town hall meeting organised by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), with the theme: ‘Reconceptualising Safety and Security in Lagos State’.
The governor noted that despite challenges which confronted the state, ranging from COVID-19, cultism, street gangs, traffic robberies, kidnapping, land-grabbing, etc, the state emerged triumphant.
He said: “At the town hall meeting a year ago, I assured you of the resilience of the people and government of Lagos state; our capacity to rise above the unprecedented disruption confronting us. Today, one year on, we have made good on our promise to emerge triumphant. We are now, I am pleased to note, firmly on the journey of rebuilding and restoration.
“Our gathering today is another indication that we are pressing ahead with the Lagos State Security Trust Fund’s vision of ‘making Lagos the safest, most secure and most prosperous commercial nerve centre in Africa’. Our theme clearly acknowledges that we are reviewing our strategies and approaches to ensure we achieve our goal.
“This year, the government, and the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, with the active support of the private sector, procured and deployed the following security assets for the use of the Nigeria Police Force: Vehicles (180), motorbikes (200), Armoured Personnel Carriers (8), Water cannons (2), cellular communication devices, Level IV bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets, and other items, worth over N3 billion. We had the privilege of having President Muhammadu Buhari commission these assets on June 10 at the Police College grounds in Ikeja.
“In addition to those physical assets, our interventions have included daily fuelling of security vehicles and boats, continuous training of security personnel, and routine maintenance and repairs.
“We will continue to train and retrain all enforcement agents of the Lagos State government, while also supporting the federal security agencies to improve their effectiveness. We have continued to foster engagements with the various security agencies in the state, demanding that they work together to dislodge criminal elements from our state.”