Factional Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, Hon. Kamal Olorunoje, recently took a swipe on the Lagos State government and the All Progressives Congress over their inability to curtail its security challenges, especially with the threat of armed robbery and other criminal activities in recent times.
In a statement, weekend, by the chairman, against the backdrop of the Festac banks attack, queried the use of the billions of naira generated from the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, and opined that the monies may be embezzled at the expense of the security of lives and properties of the good people of Lagos.
On Monday, for over two hours, some dare-devil armed robbers held residents of FESTAC Town, hostage as they robbed two banks at 4th Avenue. The robbers had accessed FESTAC Town through 4th Avenue and stormed Access and Diamond Banks on that axis and successfully robbed them without any hitches. Despite the gun duel with the police which residents said lasted for two hours, the robbers undauntingly carried out their operations and escaped again through the waterways.
The statement read in part: “We, (as a party) are appalled by the insensibility of this administration on security, education and providing gainful employment to Lagosians. “The state government has been hoarding funds donated to the LSSTF. The lives of all Lagosians should be regarded sacred and efforts put in place to provide security should not be abused. “The police force is underfunded and if they are motivated, their performance will be optimal. At this juncture, I am calling on the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and other members of the security trust committee to render an account of how monies realised from the fund are being used.
“I am also calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to beam its searchlight on the activities of LSSTF. “We have said it severally that the Lagos State Security Trust Fund is a conduit pipe organised by the All Progressives Congress to siphon money.” Olorunoje quoted Ambode’s admission recently after over a billion naira was raised for security.
Ambode had said: “I can admit we lack the right technology. We don’t have a holistic approach to coordinate everything that we are doing and then we don’t have the security management that Lagos actually needs, so we are under policed and we are not getting the right technology to be able to say that Lagos is secure. We must now integrate men, equipment and technology to keep Lagos safer,” he said.
Ambode also admitted that a total of N4billion has been donated by individuals and organisations while the state government has contributed about N8 billion to the fund.
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