- Safiu Kehinde
The Lagos State Police Command has denied alleging that armed policemen attacked Oworonshoki residents during the Lagos State Government’s resumption of demolition exercise in the area.
Residents of Oworonshoki were again thrown into a state of panic on Saturday night as the Lagos State Taskforce stormed the area with excavator to resume the demolition exercise.
This is coming barely three months after the state government stormed the area to demolish several houses.
Despite protest by the affected residents, they were again waken by the sound of excavator tearing houses apart.
Meanwhile, some of the residents were alleged attacked by armed policeman while be forcefully evacuated from their houses.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued yesterday by its spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, the Lagos Police Command labelled the reports as false and misrepresentation of facts.
The Command maintained that its officers were only deployed to the area to maintain peace and order in the course of the demolition exercise which it claimed to be legally carried out by the state government.
“The reports are in entirety false,mischievously published to misrepresent the facts and mislead the general public on the lawful conduct of Police personnel deployed to maintain peace and order during the government’s urban renewal exercise.
“The constitutional duty of the Police is protection of life and property, including the lives of Public Officials at every level of Government while carrying out their lawful official duties and other responsibilities.” The statement partly read.
Abimbola further noted that the officers were never engaged in any act of violence, harassment, or collaboration with hoodlums as reported.
The Police spokesperson said the deployment of officers for such operations are strictly to provide security coverage of the Government agencies in carrying out their statutory responsibilities.
She reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, protecting lives and property, and supporting lawful government policies
“For the avoidance of doubt, the demolition activity in Oworonshoki is being carried out by the Lagos State Department responsible for Urban Development and Planning in conjunction with the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, in accordance with the law and other due processes, after several months of official notices served on both legal and illegal occupants of the affected structures, and payment of compensation to the affected occupants concluded.
“The presence of Police personnel during the demolition exercise was purely to prevent any breakdown of law and order, and at no time did officers of the Command engage in any act of violence, harassment, or collaboration with hoodlums as falsely reported.
“This is clearly telling falsehood to cast aspersions on the top-notch professionalism exhibited by all the Police Officers in the execution of their lawful duties.
“The Command wishes to reiterate once again that the roles of the Police in such operations are strictly to provide security coverage of the Government agencies in carrying out their statutory responsibilities, and ensure that the exercise is conducted peacefully. Police Officers were under strict instructions to act with the highest level of professionalism, strict restraint, but to be polite, civil and with utmost respect for human rights and human dignity.
“Every allegation in the report is unfounded, baseless, inaccurate and false,and should be disregarded by members of the public.
“The Lagos State Police Command under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, remains committed to upholding the rule of law, protecting lives and property, and supporting lawful government policies that promote safety, crime prevention,society orderliness, and urban development.
“Members of the public are implored to verify information before sharing and to continue to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the collective interest of ensuring peace, development and progress in Lagos State.” The statement added.