20th January, 2012
Lagos State Government has debunked the claim by Nigeria’s military authorities that the deployment of soldiers on the streets of Lagos is at its request.
In a statement issued last night, the of Government dubbed the accusation as false and misleading.
“The State Government challenges the Military authorities to show proof of the request of troop deployment to the streets of Lagos State.
”Instead of simply taking the honourable path by apologizing to the people of Lagos for an unpopular act, they have resorted to offering spurious and bogus claims aimed at deceiving the people.
”That this claim is coming four days after the Governor’s address, which he followed with a letter to the Presidency, is an obvious afterthought. It is also inconsistent with the explanation offered by the Minister of Defence who said that they deployed the soldiers in order to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
”This attempt to cover up has left the public with much confusion, as the Minister of Defence offered one reason and the Military authority has offered another. They should just take the honourable path by apologizing to the people of Lagos State and withdraw the soldiers forthwith.
”In the prevailing political dispensation, the administration of Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) has always been in the vanguard of democratic principles as well as civility.
”In the light of the view of the Governor, it will be totally irrational to expect that the Governor would call on the Military to occupy the streets of Lagos.
”Also, it would be recalled that His Excellency went on air to denounce most vehemently the deployment of the soldiers in Lagos.
According to the Lagos Government, the governor has continued to demonstrate that democracy is still the best form of government to make Lagos State remain a Centre of Excellence, that it has been.
“It is therefore not right for anybody to try to use the Government of Lagos State to cover up their unpopular decision.
“The presence of the Police, Army and other federally controlled security agencies in Lagos does not translate to their being under the control of the State and so the inclusion of soldiers in the joint Military patrol through OP-MESA should not be used to cover up this wrong act of drafting soldiers on the streets of Lagos to quell fuel subsidy protest which the Police has contained for five days.
“OP-MESSA had been a long standing arrangement since the days of President Olusegun Obasanjo. lndeed, the military men involved in OP-MESSA were deployed purposely to join the Police in fighting crime and were never at any point in time drafted to occupy the streets.
“For the avoidance of doubt, OP-MESSA men are still working with the Police in the fight against crime. The men of OP-MESSA should not be confused with the soldiers deployed in the last one week to suppress a civil protest in a democracy.”