MMobolaji Michael
A committee of senior officers of the Nigerian Army (NA), Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force yesterday paid a working visit to the office of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Task Force). The team was received by the task force chairman, CSP Adetayo Akerele.
Delivering his address, Colonel Charles Nwonyi, the leader of the delegation, stated that the committee was at the task force office on the instruction of the Military High Command to reiterate its displeasure over the unfortunate incident of the 9th of October, 2024, during which military personnel stabbed dead a police officer attached to the task force while the latter was carrying out his official duty of arrest and confiscation of the soldier’s vehicle for driving against traffic (one-way), along Iyana-Iba-Ojo Cantonment axis.
Colonel Charles maintained that the alleged culprit has since been arrested and the Military High Command was currently investigating the matter with a view to applying the appropriate disciplinary penalties as quickly as possible. He added that the Nigerian Army was vigorously working on practical measures to enhance its working synergy with sister security agencies and, by extension, other paramilitary bodies.
Speaking while welcoming the delegation, the Chairman of the task force, CSP Adetayo, expressed the agency’s appreciation of the genuine concern shown by the Nigerian Army and others on the misdemeanours of one of its personnel, a development that led to the painful death of Inspector Saka Ganiyu in the line of duty.
CSP Akerele narrated how the unruly conduct of recalcitrant military personnel has constituted a menace to the operation of the agency, directly conflicting with its statutory mandate of enforcing Lagos State Transport Sector Laws, one of which is to arrest and impound motorcycles driven by any person on all of the prohibited routes and zones across the state.
The task force Chairman emphasized the dedication of the agency to carry out its duties to the latter while calling on the Military High Command to increase efforts in sensitisation of its personnel on the need to work within the ambit of the laws always.
CSP Akerele further assured of assistance in investigation to secure justice for the fallen police officer, which, according to him, will equally go a long way to serve as a deterrent to potentially disobedient security operatives across all agencies concerned.
The Military delegation, led by Colonel Charles Nwonyi, Commander of the Military Police Unit of the 81 Division, also included the Naval Police Commander of the Air Force Base (Sam Ethan), MK Mohammed, Major Akoh and Squadron leader A. Arekekun. both of the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Lagos.
Others in attendance at the meeting were the second-in-command to the Chairman of Lagos State Task Force, SP Abutu Tony; Head of the Department of Environmental Services, Lagos State Task Force, Mr Asokere Samson Sedonu; Assistant Director (Account) Mrs Bisi Adeniran; DSP Adeyemi Adewale and ASP Ademola Ayorinde.
The meeting was part of the efforts of the two establishments’ commitments to foster a robust and cordial working relationship between the Nigerian Army and other security operatives in the state.
Eighteen-Eleven Media