24th July, 2017
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Lagos State Government has warned obas, baales and chiefs to live above board in the maintenance of peace and security across the State by exhibiting exemplary conduct within their jurisdictions.
Addressing all the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs at an interactive session on security issues in Lagos State, the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami stated that the recent development in the State where a traditional ruler was apprehended for conniving with kidnappers to cause unrest was totally unacceptable to the state government.
He added that the state government expected traditional rulers who were custodian of traditions, culture and values to display high level of decorum that is acceptable to all.
Speaking at the occasion, the Oba of Lagos and Permanent Chairman of the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs, Oba Riliwanu Aremu Akiolu 1, pledged the unalloyed loyalty of the traditional rulers to the administration of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode in maintaining peace across the length and breadth of the State.
Citing the instance of the arranged kidnap by the Baale Shangisha, Akiolu said that all residents of the State were better aware that there was no hiding place for any criminally-minded individual regardless of highly placed the person might be.
He urged residents of the state to be more vigilant concerning happenings within their neighbourhood, stressing that the identity of all evil-minded persons terrorizing the peace of the State will continue to be exposed.
” As I always say, there exists the likes of the Baale of Shangisha among our traditional rulers and it is my prayer that God will continue to expose such individuals. The act of evil connivance is ungodly, all fraudulent practices in the sales of land, landed properties and the likes in any Lagos community will in no distant time meet their waterloo”
The traditional ruler maintained that the task of policing, information gathering should henceforth be seen as a responsibility of all and not the police alone. “The police are not magicians, they depend on the intelligence of all residents and as such everybody should be involved in the act of policing through communalism” the oba stated.
Akiolu commended Ambode for his unwavering investment in the police and other security outfits in the State, stressing that the investment has greatly added to the relative peace being enjoyed across the State.
The traditional ruler also bemoaned the recent Apapa incident where two banks were set ablaze by some aggrieved members of the public over a perceived misunderstanding with a law enforcement agent, saying that people should desist from taking laws into their hands or applying jungle justice at slightest provocation.
He pleaded with Lagosians to always allow security officers to perform their constitutional responsibilities of safeguarding and maintaining law and order most especially as the Local Government election will be holding this Saturday.
Also speaking at the event, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi said that the secret of evil-master-minders who have been fomenting trouble in the ancient town of Ikorodu were now being exposed as a result of the concerted efforts of all security agencies with the assistance of the traditional rulers.
He categorically stated that intelligence gatherings that had been obtained so far did not indict any indigene of Ikorodu as a perpetrator of the security issues in and around the town.
Oba Shotobi disclosed that he is always mindful of the fact that any dent on Ikorodu town affects his personality, the whole council of Obas and Chiefs and ultimately portends great setback for the state government, hence the need for him to be seen doing the needful in restoring security confidence to the town.