LAGOS State Commissioner of Police Hakeem Odumosu on Wednesday warned social miscreants and criminal elements to turn a new leaf or face the full weight of the law as the command will not tolerate any form of lawlessness.
Odumosu urged the state government to urgently provide makeshift structures and logistics in place of burnt and vandalised stations and outposts in the state in order to hasten the return of the police officials to their working places.
He also assured the state governor and Lagosians that the command will provide adequate security for everyone.
He said the police command suffered huge losses in human and material resources.
Odumosu was speaking when Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, accompanied by his deputy and other cabinet members paid a solidarity visit to the police command headquarters in Ikeja.
The police chief said the command lost six of its personnel, adding that 16 police stations were burnt, 13 vandalised, 12 police posts burnt and five police posts vandalised, while 36 officials were injured.
No fewer than 58 police vehicles were burnt and 13 police vehicles vandalised, Odumosu said.
But he added that despite the losses and trauma, his men were not deterred.
“We have patriotically, professionally and gallantly fought the miscreants to a standstill, arrested 520 so far, who are being currently prosecuted in conjunction with the state Ministry of Justice.
“A lot of the looted items have been recovered. We have restored peace to the state. Businesses are picking up, social activities are peaking in line with COVID-19 protocols.”
He requested, among other things, that the state government foot the hospital bills of injured personnel and pay compensations to families of deceased police personnel.
Odumosu requested the state government to “approve an insurance policy for all police personnel working in Lagos State Command and give free medical treatment to all those who sustain injuries in the line of duty in state owned hospitals.”
Responding, Sanwo-Olu promised that the state government will set up ‘Rebuild Lagos Trust Fund in the aftermath of destruction in the state.
He appreciated the efforts of the police, adding that the government would start implementing some of their demands immediately.
“You have not been truly acknowledged but I want to thank you. You’ve been gallant. You have shown how critical you are in our society. We might come from different backgrounds but we are all humans created by God. The Lagos State Police Command has been a delight in spite of our differences and inadequacies.”
As your governor, I acknowledge what you do and what you stand for,” he told the officers.
He added: “How do we take Lagos forward, how do we heal our wounds? It’s about not looking back but looking forward. Lagos would not look back again. As your governor, I take full responsibility for what happened and has not happened. I will not shy away from it. We will foot all the hospital bills of injured policemen.”

By Oziegbe Okoeki