Lagos residents laud Ambode for boosting security

Some Lagos residents on Wednesday hailed Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode for inaugurating the state Neighbourhood Safety Corps aimed at enhancing security.

The residents told Newsverge in interviews that the development showed that the state government gave priority attention to security of lives and property.

Ambode had on Monday inaugurated 5,700 neighbourhood corps members, 177 vehicles equipped with communication gadgets, 377 motorcycles and 4,000 bicycles to boost security.

A lawyer, Mr Kunle Aribisala, commended the government effort, and advised that the corps members should be given proper orientation to avoid excesses in the discharge of their duty.

“Ambode has shown that, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, he has the power to do anything necessary to protect his people.

“The corps should not operate in a way that its duty will clash with that of the police. It should be complementary,’’ Aribisala urged.

Mr Augustine Igwe, a retired civil servant, said that the deployment was necessary in view of increase in the rate of kidnapping and armed robbery.

“We heard about the kidnapping of students and farmers in Epe; the government has a duty to ensure security of lives.

“With the inauguration of safety corps, the rate of crime in Lagos will reduce drastically,’’ he hoped.

Mrs Margaret Fanegan, a business woman, told Newsverge that other states should emulate the action to boost security nationwide.

“It is a fact that the number of policemen in the country is not enough to secure over 170 million Nigerians; therefore, state governments should do everything possible to secure lives and property in their various states.

“If every state can have this kind of safety corps, they will enhance security in the country,’’ she said.

A public commentator, Mr Charles Koleosho, said that the inauguration of the corps showed that lives and property of residents were important to Lagos State Government.

“With this corps, more investors will want to come into Lagos State because they will be confident that their investments will be secure.

“This will result in more revenue for the state,’’ Koleosho said.