The IG said this when he addressed policemen at the Police College, Ikeja during a two-day visit to Lagos.

Ibrahim said he has already written to the Police Service Commission (PSC) and was awaiting its approval.

“We are waiting for approval from the PSC for the 88 new area commands and by extension, this means we are going to have more assistant commissioners of police.

“This will also create room for more chief superintendents of police to be promoted. Do your best in your duties and you will be promoted.

“We are changing the face of policing in Nigeria, policemen that are people-oriented with the satisfaction of the citizens as the primary focus.” he said.

Idris also frowned at the actions of some policemen, who took pictures with the self-acclaimed IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.

“Nationalism is key. Some officers were taking pictures with Nnamdi Kanu and this is someone that is challenging the unity of this country.

“We will not take it with levity. There should be no double loyalty to Nigeria. No matter your rank, your commitment to the country should be absolute.

“As policemen, you must be committed to unity, leadership and authority of government of this country. No double standards are allowed.” he added.

He commended them for their commitment to duty, adding that they are an important to the day-to-day policing activities.

“You are important for this job. We depend on you.”

He said10, 000 more personnel had been recruited and undergoing training to boost the nation’s police.

Speaking on the ongoing move to pass into law for the setting up of the Police Trust Fund, the IG said it was being done after realising that government budget alone could not cover police entire needs.

“This Trust Fund will address the issue of funding for the police forever and this will help us to carry out effective service.

“We just had a public hearing about the bill and we had a large turn out of civil society organisations and other appropriate stakeholders. With this trust fund, we can buy more equipment and pay allowances for investigation.” he said.

The IG emphasised his zero tolerance for corruption and warned police personnel to shun collecting money for bail.

“Bail is free. If you collect money for bail, you will pay the price and we will kick you out of the force. Your duty is to provide services for the protection of lives and properties of the citizens.” he said.

He also charged his men to respect the fundamental human rights of the citizenry, as well as their right to free speech and movement.

“Section four of the Nigeria Police Act gives you the police officer the right to arrest anyone that constitutes offence, irrespective of your rank.

“Despite the rank, a constable can arrest a minister or anyone that contravenes the law of the nation but you must use that right judiciously.” he said.

The IG also paid a visit to the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, where he commended the first class chief for his constant partnership with the police.

Akiolu in his response emphasised that there was no shortcut in policing, lamenting that the budget for the police is grossly inadequate.

“Nigeria will burn in 2019 if the government does not fund internal security. This is because internal security operations is the entire responsibility of the Nigeria Police.

“Thus, they should be provided the requirements to do the job and the IG be given a free hand to run the force.”

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Governor Ambode, who spoke at the first Quarterly Town Hall Meeting for 2017, the sixth in the series, held at the Ajelogo Housing Scheme, Ajelogo Market Road, Akanimodo, Mile 12, said the 181 roads, is an improvement on the 114 roads, two in each local government, which his administration promised to embark upon every year.

Acknowledging that most of the requests made by residents during the interactive session at the Town Hall Meeting were majorly on roads owing to the success of the 114 roads delivered in September 2016, the Governor said his administration thought it wise to ensure that the roads captured for 2017 are key roads that would have economic impact on the people living in that axis, hence the increase to 181 roads.

“I want to pronounce here that you should watch out next week in the newspapers, we are advertising 181 roads which would be done in all our local governments.

“What we have found out is that if we decided to continue with two, some of those roads are not linking each other to the main road, so most likely you would see that if we are supposed to do some road in some local governments, it would only make economic sense if there is a linkage.

“So you would see in the advert that some local governments would have like three, some would have four roads, but the average is that 181 if you divide it by 57 that would be a minimum of three roads from each local governments,” Governor Ambode said.

The Governor said that the choice of the roads to be constructed had been made by the local governments in conjunction with the engineers, assuring that before the end of the year when the road would be delivered, the people would be better for it.

Giving his account of stewardship in the last quarter, Governor Ambode said the choice of Akanimodo, Mile 12 as venue for the meeting was to show that the axis has not been left behind in the developmental progress ongoing in the State, saying he had come to listen to the needs of the people and where government intervention was in dire need.

He said in the last quarter, his administration kicked off its “Rent-To-Own and Rental Housing Policy” aimed at providing affordable units across the three Senatorial Districts, disclosing that there are 4,355 housing units available with over 500 applicants prequalified so far, while allocation would commence next week.

On the agricultural sector, the Governor said his administration was already looking to build on the first fruits of its partnership with Kebbi State Government with the launch of LAKE RICE in December 2016, adding that in the current quarter the government would embark on the rehabilitation of the Oko-Oba Abattoir and Lairage Complex, Agege in line with the promise to increase meat production output, develop the red meat value chain and restructure the complex for improved operations.

Governor Ambode also said that the Neighbourhood Safety Corps would become operational in the current quarter with the recruitment of 5700 personnel, while 100 would be deployed to each of the local government to complement the efforts of other security agencies in policing the State.

Expressing optimism that 2017 holds great expectations for Lagos, especially as the State gets set to mark its landmark Golden Jubilee on May 27, his administration would continue with its urban regeneration initiatives, building new infrastructure and maintaining existing ones.

He listed some of the key projects to be done to include Agric-Isawo-Arepo Road in Ikorodu, Ajelogo–Akanimodo Road Rehabilitation, Oshodi to Murtala Mohammed Airport Road, Ketu-Alapere Inner Roads Phase II, Oke Oso–Araga–Poka in Epe, Topo Garage to VIP Chalet in Badagry, Ladipo Market Road and Multilayer Car Park , Mushin and establishment of Bus Terminals and depots in Yaba, Ikeja, Oyingbo, Anthony, Ketu and Toll Gate, while more beneficiaries will receive funding from the N25bn Employment Trust Fund in January.

Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, in his remarks urged the Governor to give priority to the construction of Adeniji-Adele Road and ensure the construction of other roads that deserve utmost attention in the area.

He also urged the Governor to improve the standard of markets in the area to enviable standards, while urging total reconstruction of non-approved and unauthorised buildings already built within major markets in Lagos Island.

Akiolu further urged Lagosians to continue to cooperate and support the present administration as well as desist from any form of clandestine meetings that may undermine the progress of Governor Ambode’s administration.

Responding to questions that bordered on security, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni said with the continued support of the State Government, the Command increased the number of personnel in Ketu-Epe Police Post from two to seventy to effectively combat kidnapping and other crimes in Agbowa, Itoikin and environs, as well as transformed the hitherto abandoned Iyun Police Post to anti-kidnapping unit, while two gun boats were moved to Ejirin.

Owoseni, however, urged traditional rulers and community elders to caution their subjects especially the youths on the need to be law abiding, shun all forms of criminal activities, and only be engaged in lawful means of livelihood.

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Akiolu, who spoke at a stakeholder’s meeting in Alausa, Lagos, on Thursday said he would always say the truth and would not mind whose ox is gored, saying that there was serious injustice to landowners in the development of the project.

According to him, if such injustice that occurred in the conception of Eko Atlantic City should occur again in the development of future projects of such magnitude, he would go to court to challenge the government.

The monarch said he was displeased with what the Lagos State Government did with the Eko Atlantic City as landowners did not benefit from the project, adding that government must learn to carry the host community along in developing projects of such magnitude that involved multi-nationals.

He said even in places like Holland, the interest of land owners was always taken into consideration, saying what the state government did was simply unfair.

Akiolu said further that whatever considerations the government and land owners would give to multinationals on land matters must also be informed by the interest of the resident community, adding that the “deeds” of the State government at Eko Atlantic City would never repeat itself again.

According to the promoters of the new city, the city will seat on 10 million square metres of land reclaimed from the ocean and protected by an 8.5 kilometre long sea wall.

Eko Atlantic will be the size of Manhattan’s skyscraper district. Self-sufficient and sustainable, it includes state-of-the-art urban design, its own power, clean water, advanced telecommunications, spacious roads and 110,000 trees.

Akiolu also lashed out on illegal activities of land grabbers and dredgers in the State, threatening that perpetrators are now liable to jail terms, saying that their activities had been reported to the State Government and authorities at the Federal level for proper punishment.

The monarch said that the era of impunity on Lagos lands and offshore would no longer be acceptable. He said though the lands and water resources were traditional rights of the inhabitants and “the Obas and chief can derive benefits from the God given resources.”

“They should go to the appropriate authorities and learn how to do it. It is their land and they are entitled to its benefits. Even my own relation, I have called him and warned him. I have taken the matter up to the Federal Government that they should drive all of them from that place (Ajah-Badore shores).

“I say it and I stand by it; let the heavens fall and I’m prepared to face any consequence. There is a road alignment in Eti-Osa, which some criminal-minded persons have been selling. They will be dealt with and if care is not taken, they will go to prison. That is very certain,” he added.

At the event, Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Adebowale Akinsanya, said that it had become so urgent for the State government to do all that is humanly possible to arrest the Lagos fragile coastline and its attendant environmental challenges.

According to him, having reviewed the activities of dredgers in the State, the government had decided to suspend all dredging, put on hold all issuance of licenses till all new conditions and registration were met.

The commissioner stated that government had also prohibited dredging activities in some areas of the State, so as to allow for regeneration and reassessment in such areas, saying that Chinese technology would also be phased out within the next two years unless there is an upgrade and redesign of the current system.

He added that “If you are operating in the Lagos State body of water currently, it is illegal and all dredging operations shall cease till the Lagos State government and the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) issues new licenses.”

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