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Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday appealed to private partners and individuals not to relent in their support for the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), saying that they should continue to make efforts to ensure risks were properly addressed in the state.
The governor made this appeal while speaking at the 16th edition of the annual Town Hall Security of the LSSTF at Victoria Island, Lagos, against the background of the sharp drop in the annual contributions to the Fund.
LSSTF received the lowest amount of funds in 2022, amounting to just N153,000,000, since its establishment in the last 16 years, a development which is a far cry compared to the amount it received in 2020 and 2021, which came to N2.5bn and N1.042bn respectively.
The Fund, which was established in 2007, through the Lagos State House of Assembly, was meant to fill the resource deficit of the police and other security agencies in the state.
It was disclosed at the meeting that a total number of 324 murder cases, with 345 victims were recorded, while 409 suspects were arrested in the last year.
Speaking at the event, themed: “LSSTF Stewardship: A review of our activities in line with the THEMES Agenda of the Lagos State Goverment,” Governor Sanwo-Olu promised to donate additional 25 patrol vehicles to the police in order to enhance security across the state, even as he noted that LSSTF was at the forefront of the state’s security efforts.
According to him, the Lagos State government has through the Fund continued to provide interventions for operational capacity, training and logistics for the police and all security agencies operating in the state, declaring that the state’s efforts had yielded results as Lagos remained largely safe.
“In the last three and a half years, we have continued to maintain the Lagos record of Zero Bank Robbery in our state. Let us be clear that we are not yet where we would like to be, but we are certain we can and we will get there.
“We must always remember that there is no society that is free from crime and criminality; even the most advanced nations still have to contend with all forms of crimes and threats. What we all must continue to do is to press forward and strive to ensure that risks are properly addressed, threats are contained, that deterrent measures are in place, and that every investment necessary for a safer society is made as at when due,” the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu, while further noting that the national security architecture needed urgent review, added that everyone must make the best of the current circumstances, and the limitations that came with it.
“We must make the best of the current circumstances, and the limitations that come with it,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Mr Abiodun Alade, while giving statistics of crimes in the state, disclosed that out of the 170 robbery incidents carried out by the hoodlums, 149 were foiled, while 21 were successful with 146 suspects arrested in connection with the crimes.
According to the police boss, 128 of the armed robbery suspects arrested have been charged to court, while an investigation into the cases involving others is ongoing, adding that 52 cases of cults related cases and the arrest of 240 cultists were recorded during the period.
“The major challenge confronting the Command is inadequate patrol vehicles. Though, the Command acknowledged Mr Governor, LSSTF, members of the National/State Assemblies, Local Government/ LCDAs Chairmen and other spirited individuals for their support to the Command.
“However, many of the patrol vehicles attached to the divisions have become unserviceable due to old age and constant usage. Another challenge is the frequent breakdown of the Command’s communication system/repeaters, thus, hindering operations prompt and effective response to a distress call,” the police commissioner said.
Executive Secretary of the Fund, Dr Abdulrazaq Balogun, while giving a report on the activities of the LSSTF in the last year, said because of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdown, the Fund had to restrategize in order to improve safety and security in the state.
He noted that 2022 had been a very challenging year, saying that the Fund only received a paltry cash sum of N153,000,000.00 in donations as of 1st of November 2022 with no single donation in kind, adding: “This is the worst in the history of the Fund.”
In his welcome address, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of LSSTF, Kehinde Durosimi-Etti, said it was a consensus opinion that security was essential to all human activity and a requirement for socioeconomic development and growth.
He said it was the reason the Lagos State government and the Fund continued to play a major role in providing resources for Federal security agencies.
“We all agree that security is essential to all human activity and a requirement for socioeconomic development and growth. This is the reason why the Lagos State government and the Fund continue to play a major role in providing resources for Federal security agencies.
“It appears that 2022 not only continued in the path of its challenging preceding years of 2020 and 2021. It was, even more, trying with the volatile foreign exchange rates and global supply chain disruptions,” he said.
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