17th June, 2023
By Adebola Adegoke
Operatives of Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency (LNSA) are now required to wear vests, body cameras, and badges at all times in line with the agency’s rebranding initiatives as directed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The General Manager, LNSA, Dr Ifalade Oyekan, revealed this on the sidelines of the presentation of new operational vehicles and other tools to the staff Neighbourhood Watch across the local government areas (LGAs) to boost community policing in the State.
15 vehicles, identification badges, vests, rain boots, and raincoats were distributed on Friday at the agency’s headquarters in Oshodi, Lagos.
According to him, the aim was to equip officers with the relevant tools to perform their duties optimally and the items have been made light so as not to burden the operatives with the weight.
Oyekan added that it was part of the continued efforts and investment of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the actualisation of the security and governance pillar of his administration’s THEMES agenda.
“This event is a result of the rebranding initiatives of the agency, supported by the investment to boost community policing operations in the state.
“This is barely three weeks into his second term and the governor has done a lot for the agency by providing us with vehicles and other tools we presented today and he has promised to do more,” he said.
Oyekan added that the identification badge was a new initiative of the agency and officers were required to wear it with their uniforms or on their person at all times.
“What we have done is to change the outlook of our uniforms to match what is obtainable in other climes.
“Now, our officers are required to wear their vests, body cameras, and badges at all times. We have made these items light so as not to burden them with the weight,” he said.
He, however, urged the officers to handle the vehicles and items with utmost care and proper maintenance, as they would their property.
16 Zonal Coordinators were decorated and letters of appointment were presented to new Divisional Commanders (DCs), Corps Officers (COs), and Deputy COs of the 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the State.
The five divisional commanders are in charge of Badagry, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lagos, and Epe divisional headquarters of the State.
Oyekan urged the new appointees to carry out their duties with diligence, professionalism, and respect for citizens’ rights and set good examples worthy of emulation for other law enforcement agencies in the state.
He, therefore, said there was no room for error as they would be held to high standards by providing credible leadership for officers under their watch.
The general manager added that the agency, with the support of the state government, had created more operational units to complement the activities of other security agencies.
According to him, the units include Research, Development, and New Innovation; Human Trafficking, Domestic and Sexual Violence; Forest Rangers; Marine Patrol and Deterrence, Anti-riot and Crowd Management.
He gave the others as Forensics and Crime Scene Management; Paramedics; Technical and Mechanic units.
On recruitment, Oyekan said that over 1,000 officers had been recruited to boost the capacity of its current workforce for effective community policing in the state.
According to him, the officers are indigenous people in the various LGAs where they reside and are registered with the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA).
This, he said, was a deliberate policy to make use of their local knowledge to achieve maximum grassroots intelligence gathering and community policing.
“They have done fitness screening, examination and documentation. We are waiting for the governor to approve for successful candidates to start and they will be posted to the local government where they reside,” he said.
Oyekan thanked Sanwo-Olu for his support toward making the agency a model in community policing in the country. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)