Assemblymen Raise Alarm Over Insecurity In Lagos, Ogun

Lagos lawmakers have raised alarm over insecurity in the two states of Lagos and Ogun, southwest
Nigeria.

The lawmakers are also scared that with the way armed robbery and other violent crimes  are rising in the two states, no one, including them, is safe.

They made their position known after one them, Rotimi Olowo, called their attention to the activities of men of the underworld.

He said he was moved by the reported assassination of a police officer, ASP John Ibizugbe, and his 23-year-old daughter, Bola.

P.M NEWS had reported that unidentified gunmen stormed the Alagbado, Ogun state residence of the police officer in the early hours of Monday, 3 October and killed the cop and his daughter.

The daughter, as reported, was shot first and the ASP was later shot after he engaged the suspected assassins in a gun battle.

Hon. Olowo, who made reference to the story published by P.M.NEWS, asked his colleagues to help call on the government and security authorities to be alive to their responsibilities. Many of the shocked lawmakers described the incident as inhuman.
 
Some even said he may have been killed as a result of the threat he posed to criminals in the state.
Mrs. Adebimpe Akinsola, representing
Ikorodu Constituency 2 at the House also informed the House that there has been several incidents of attack on travellers on the Lagos/Ogun axis of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

While stating that in such attacks, people are murdered, she narrated the story of a family whose car broke down along the expressway.
 
According to her, while the man was away trying to sort the challenge out, his wife who was in the car was attacked and her valuables stolen.
Another lawmaker, Bayo Oshinowo, representing Kosofe, told his colleagues that he was attacked recently.
 
He however said the two suspects who shot into his Magodo home were arrested and handed over to the police.
He lamented the delay in the investigation of the suspects, blaming the police for such delay.

While some lawmakers questioned the powers of the House to deliberate on issues concerning Ogun state, a lawmaker, Hon. Omotayo Oduntan, reminded her colleagues that the two states, apart from being governed by the Action Congress of Nigeria, is under one zone headed by an Assistant

Inspector General of Police.
She also informed her colleagues that on several occasions, it is the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos that is drafted to quell any criminal activities and attacks on travellers and residents in the border of the two states.

While calling on the security agencies in the two states to beef up security, they also challenged the Lagos state government to compensate the family of the deceased because, even though he lived outside the state, he served Lagos state till he was murdered.

The Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, in his submission, said the state House of Assembly would lead in the efforts to see that the state compensates those the deceased left behind.
 
 He however said whatever should be presented to the family members would be discussed at the executive session.

By Eromosele Ebhomele