Kunle Adelabu
-Launch of Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative to go ahead as planned – Official
Private security organisations, vigilance groups and other security entities yet to be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the six Local Government and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Ikorodu Division, have been prohibited from operating henceforth.
This was the verdict pronounced by the six chairmen in lkorodu division with stern warning that any breach of the law will amount to contravention of the Nigerian Constitution and Criminal Code.
They stated that they are committed to the security of lives and properties of residents of Ikorodu Division area of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, while also adding that they are ready to continue working with the police, other security agencies, para – military groups and vigilance outfits in the division.
Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, Chairman Ikorodu Local Government, issued the directive on behalf of other five chairmen on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at a press conference on, “Mandatory Registration of all Private Security Outfits and Vigilantes In Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Nigeria, with their Local Government and the Local Council Development Areas they Intend To Operate ln”.
At the press conference were Hon. Sulaimon Kazeem Olanrewaju, Chairman, Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Builder Adeola Banjo, Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba, Chairman, Ijede LCDA and Hon. (Prince) Wasiu Kunle Agoro, Chairman, Imota LCDA.
Also, the six Council Leaders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), Commandants, Lagos Neighbourhood Corps, Director of SSS, representatives of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other security agencies in the division, were in attendance.
Adeshina said that the directive is necessary to protect Ikorodu people from the activities of unlawful group(s).
“In response to the growing security challenges in almost all parts of Lagos State and our country, Nigeria, and as a proactive measure to bolster the security architecture of the Ikorodu Division in Lagos State, we, the Chaimen of the Local Government Area and the Local Council Development Areas in the Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Nigeria, in consonance with our legal and constitutional duties and responsibilities, issue this press statement to inform the general public about the security matters in our Division”, Hon. Adeshina said.
“Whilst we shall continue to work and remain çommitted to the security of lives and properties in our geographical jurisdictions in the lkorodu Division by working with all the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian military, all the paramilitary establishments, as well as all the lawful and constitutional corporate bodies, registered entities, traditional institutions, political leaders, among others.
“We shall neither abdicate nor abandon our prerogatives and responsibilities of making sure that the good and patriotic people of Ikorodu Division are not left unprotected from any form of unconstitutional and/or unlawful activities contrived not only to whittle down the efforts of the government but also to make the lkorodu Division people undeservedly susceptible and vulnerable to all manners of vicious elements and/or impostors and/or entities without any credible records on security matters and/or bodies with records and antecedents of working against the success of the government”, he emphasised.
He quoted Section 14 (1) a, b, and c of the Nigerian Constitution to establish the power of the local government to handle security issues for the people, while issuing guidelines set out by the councils for the registration of security outfits or groups.
“We, the Chairmen of the Local Government Area and the Local Council Development Areas in the Ikorodu Division of Lagos State in Nigeria, hereby, state as follows:
“All private security outfits (registered or yet to be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission) and/or Vigilantes and/or any other entities, however so described, with interest in security in Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Nigeria, must be registered and/or officially documented with their local government and the local council development areas where they intend to operate in”.
“In registering, all private security outfits (registered or yet to be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission) and/or Vigilantes and/or any other entity, however so described with interest in security in lkorodu Division of Lagos State, Nigeria, must submit the profiles (Resumes) of all their directors and personnel as well as their equipment (arms and ammunitions) to the local government and the local council development areas where they intend to operate for onward submission to the Nigeria Police Force and other government-established security outfits”.
He stated that local government authorities will only work with groups that have fulfilled the guidelines.
Adeshina also stated that any group that has not abided with the guidelines are prohibited from:
“carrying out any form of activities or launching or inauguration, howsoever called in any part of the Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Nigeria. And any form of breach shall be deemed not only as unlawful but as a breach of the relevant sections of the extant Nigerian Constitution and the Criminal Code”, he warned.
However, it is been rumoured that the directive of the local government chairmen, who are allegedly at a loggerhead with royal fathers and other eminent personalities that are involved in the formation and funding of the Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited/GTE (IDPIL/GTE), is actually being directed at the formal launching of the initiative slated for Wednesday (tomorrow).
Meanwhile, an official of the IDPIL/GTE, Mr Taiwo Hassan Awolaru, has confirmed to THE IMPACT that the launching of the security initiative is going to hold tomorrow as planned.
“Of course, we are going ahead with the launching as planned”, he said.
He added that the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabir Shotobi and other eminent stakeholders involved in the initiative, are fully ready to formally announced the commencement of the operations of newly established Joint Task Force (JTF).
The launching, which is slated to hold at the Ikorodu Town Hall, we gathered, will be attended by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu, Commissioners, top business executives and other personalities.
The IDPIL/GTE, which is being chaired by High Chief Adewunmi Ogunsanya, the Odofin of Ikorodu, will also be unveiling 20 patrol vehicles and cars and 50 motorbikes among other gadgets at the launching event, for the operations of the security architecture in policing Ikorodu Division.
According to its functionaries, insurance package and salary have also been put in place for the operatives of the JTF who were trained at the Police College, Ikeja.
