Juliana Francis
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, recently reeled out the achievements of the Command under his watch in the last seven and half months.
He mentioned the scorecard during a recent media parley with members of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), held at the Police Officers’ Mess.
The statistics of the achievements were later shared by the State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), and a Superintendent of Police (SP), Benjamin Hundeyin.
According to the CP, the statistics covered seven and half months of his leadership in Lagos State as the number one policeman.
However, copiously missing from the released achievements by Alabi, were issues relating to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), including rape of minors and domestic violence.
According to members of the Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network (ACVPN), the Command, since Alabi took over the mantle of leadership had been doing well on such issues, with the CP promoting an open door policy. However, ACVPN said that Alimosho and Epe local government areas have the highest cases of SGBV.
Addressing the journalists, Alabi said that the media interaction was necessary so that he could be told areas of policing that he and his men needed to beam searchlights and those to improve on.
The journalists, among other issues, told the CP to beam his searchlight at Mile 2 axis of the metropolis, where traffic robbers were disturbing. He was also advised to pay attention to some of his area commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs).
He was also applauded for his open-door policy to all and sundry. Responding to the praises, Alabi said he learnt the door policy strategy from his mentor. He was also praised for picking up his calls, and responding to SMS and WhatsApp messages, unlike most senior policemen in the Force.
He explained that most of the Command’s achievements were from its Tactical Units, noting that he would continue to monitor illegal activities of any section in order to check such.
Alabi was also praised for picking Hundeyin as his PPRO, whom many said was well grounded and professional in the discharge of his duties.
He added: “There is a need to remove all barriers if you want to be efficient. I make sure that everyone has access to my office. Even the least constable has access to my office. Life is dynamic and this present policing needs new approaches. By allowing everyone accesses to my office, I have been able to get firsthand information on issues. I tell my men at our monthly meeting that if they create barriers between them and people, they’ll eventually suffer for it. I learnt from retired CP Olayinka Balogun that your goodwill outlives you and your work will speak for you. Do your work and face justice. As policemen, we are servants and should not turn ourselves too thin gods.”
Responding to encomium on his PPRO, Alabi said: “There was a day the governor called me to say that he was very proud of my PPRO. If you’re doing well, people will see and tell you. One of my greatest weapons is my PRO, but the praise is for him to do more.”
Replying to questions bordering on indiscipline among area commanders and DPOS, Alabi said that he had to sack a female DPO, who was not ready to work.
He noted: “If I believe the course I am taking is the right one, I will follow it through even if it consumes me! I have never lobbied for any post, only people will say that Alabi will be good for this or that post. In this Lagos Command, if a policeman or woman does his or her work well, nobody will disturb them. But if the person is affecting my performance, I will have to kick the person out. I have changed four DPOs for obvious reasons. As a DPO they should work or leave the office!”
