Wale Jagun
A concerned resident has charged the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) on the need to remove large number of its vehicles abandoned at the corps’ head office in Ikorodu Division.
Mr Monday Ohi Obadan, a community leader and social media commentator, raised the alarm recently on his social media handles and THE IMPACT WhatsApp platform, stating that the situation poses security challenges which are contrary to why the LNSC was setup.
He added that the abandoned vehicles, which are meant to aid the operations of the LNSC operatives, also constitute nuisance and environmental infractions, and charged that the vehicles should be repaired by the relevant arm of government.
He captured the parked vehicles in a video.
Over ten operational vehicles have been abandoned at the Ikorodu Divisional headquarters of the LNSC at Ojogbe on Oriwu Road, for many years.
“The office of the LSNC in Ikorodu Division, located at Ojogbe Junction, Ita-Elewa Area, constitutes present and continuous danger”, he claimed.
“Methink the video clip suggested environmental nuisance, infraction and contravention of government setback. It also poses danger to pedestrians and encourage pilfering. The optics is not only embarrassing, but for me, it may be contributing to the seemingly worsening safety and security challenges in Ikorodu, if operatives cannot be effectively mobilized using these vehicles for patrols and respond to the scenes of crime and criminal activities.
“Going forward, Methink there could be an arrangement by the relevant ministry of the state government to repair these vehicles and offer the men and officers a buy back option of say 30% of the depreciation cost after a period of 3-4 years, so that this could motivate a maintenance culture in the organization”, Mr Monday suggested.
Meanwhile, a reliable source within the LNSC, has explained to THE IMPACT that the vehicles are meant for auction.
“Those vehicles are meant for auctioning, that’s why other LCDAs were directed to park them at the Divisional Command in Ikorodu. Officials from Alausa came around to inspect and we are expecting them to come around and move them”, he said.
“The cost of repairing them is high and it is necessary to board”.
The source also pleaded with the privileged members of the public to come to the assistance of the LNSC Ikorodu Division Command, in repairing some of its vehicles (not among the abandoned ones).
He said that the vehicles are needed to make them more effective and functional.
