Lagos Assembly Crisis: Why We Withdrawn Security Details Of Meranda, Other VIPs – Police

Fresh facts have shown that the security details of the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Meranda Mojisola, were withdrawn due to a lack of valid approval.

Mojisola was not the only one affected.

Several VIPs in Lagos who had enjoyed security protection over the years without the police’s approval had the operatives withdrawn.

Police Sources disclosed that the withdrawal of Meranda’s security details had nothing to do with the political tussles in the State House of Assembly, as the police have maintained neutrality throughout.

“What happened is that the new Commissioner of Police (CP) Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, as part of his efforts to instill professionalism and due process, sent a directive that all policemen operatives of the command on VIP protection duties without due approval should be withdrawn immediately.

“There are some traditional rulers in the state who have had police personnel guarding them for almost 20 years without approval. It was not just about the Speaker.

“The normal procedure is that when police protection is needed by VIPs, they are to write the police officially, and upon approval, personnel will be assigned to them.

“The Speaker of the House of Assembly is entitled to police protection under the law, and she doesn’t need to write as a person. However, the normal procedure is that the outgoing administration will write the police formally to notify the force about a change in leadership, stating the names of the new officeholders deserving of police protection.

“In this instance, no such communication has been sent to the police, and so, that is probably why the policemen withdrew because they know there was no letter posting them to that duty,” said the source.

At the time of this report, the Police Command had yet to speak on the issue, and the Commissioner of Police (CP) and the Public Relations Officer (PPRO) had yet to be reached.