FROM ALABI TO OWOHUNWA: LAGOS POLICE COMMAND SET ON WINNING STREAK • AIG Alabi assures Lagos, Ogun residents of safety, security in coming general elections
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: New Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Idowu Owohunwa; Immediate Past Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command/AIG Zone 2, AIG Abiodun Alabi; Board Member, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan; DC Operations, DCP Isa Grema; DC Admin, DCP Bassey Ewah and DC SCID, DCP Waheed Ayilara during the arrival of CP Owohunwa as CP Lagos Command.
The Nigeria Police Lagos State Command yesterday witnessed a smooth transition of the helms from the former Commissioner of Police, AIG Sylvester Abiodun Alabi to the new Commissioner of Police, CP Idowu Owohunwa. The officers and men of the Command were in high spirits, Trek Africa Newspaper observed, knowing full well that the good work which started a year ago will continue in seamless fashion. This is because their erstwhile CP is still close home as the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG in charge of Zone 2 HQ (comprising Lagos and Ogun states).
Present at the handing over ceremony was the Board Member of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan.
Expressing his confidence in the capacity of his successor, AIG Abiodun Alabi said: ‘Definitely the new Lagos State CP would find it easy because I have laid the template, he is going to build on that.’
On his perceived challenge for CP Owohunwa, the new AIG Alabi told Trek Africa Newspaper and other pressmen, ‘The only security challenge that I believe will give my successor a challenge but which is not insurmountable is cultism. That is what has been giving us challenge and we have to introduce non-conventional methods like stakeholder meeting with youths telling them that they do not need to engage in cultism and that it is a vice that has stiff penalty from Lagos State Government.
Many of them have renounced cultism in Ijora Badiya. That is the crime I believe I contended with and my successor should raise the bar.’
L-R: Board Member, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan; Immediate Past Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command/AIG Zone 2, AIG Abiodun Alabi and DC Operations, DCP Isa Grema.
‘My happiness is that I am still around as AIG Zone 2 comprising Lagos and Ogun states. I am mindful of the fact that some hoodlums want to test our collective will but with my successor and me around, I know that they will not have a space to operate. Some have done it before and they had it rough with us. We will not tolerate such under my watch as AIG of Zone 2 with the support of my CPs in Lagos and Ogun.’
On the coming elections, AIG Abiodun Alabi assured: ‘Elections will go on peacefully. Everybody is safe and secured in Lagos whether you are an indigene or non-indigene. We have been protecting them and we will continue to protect them. It is our statutory duty. Very soon I will coordinate a meeting with the CPs in Lagos and Ogun states and ask them what is their strategic plan about election. Definitely the new Lagos CP would find it easy because I have laid the template, he is going to build on that. By the time I see the template from Ogun CP, I will make an input. Where we need to adjust we will adjust, where we need to augment, we will augment. It will be a collective decision.’
Meanwhile, AIG Abiodun Alabi in his speech commended the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) ably represented by the Board Member, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, the Police Community Relations Committee, the Media, and other stakeholders for the success recorded in his 1-year tenure in Lagos State Command.
L-R: Board Member, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan in a warm handshake with the Immediate Past Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command/AIG Zone 2, AIG Abiodun Alabi
In his response, CP Idowu Owohunwa remarked: ‘My AIG has already said I will find it easy. He spoke from the position of professional knowledge. He has briefed me about the template, what you should expect from me is to provide leadership that will give full effect to the template. On strategic plan for policing in Lagos, the details will be made to you in due course.’
Trek Africa Newspaper can reliably report that CP Idowu Owohunwa was the Principal Staff Officer to the current IGP Usman Alkali Baba before he was deployed as Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command.
A reform-oriented senior officer, Owohunwa’s policing vision is founded on the hybrid and intertwined models of citizens engagement as well as intelligence-led and technology-driven policing.
L-R: PPRO Lagos Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin; Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Idowu Owohunwa and Immediate Past Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command/AIG Zone 2, AIG Abiodun Alabi
L-R: Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Lagos State, Apostle Kehinde Showemimo; Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Idowu Owohunwa; Immediate Past Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command/AIG Zone 2, AIG Abiodun Alabi and Board Member, LSSTF, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan
