Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has charged officers and men of the state security, environmental and emergency agencies to be humane in their dealings with residents.

Governor Sanwo-Olu gave the charge during an on-the-spot assessment tour of some the state’s security, environmental and emergency agencies, including Rapid Response Squad,RRS, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Rescue Unit and Lagos State Environmental, Sanitation and Special Offences, Taskforce, office.

Sanwo-Olu called for more synergy among the various agencies and advised them to rededicate themselves to service and absolute commitment to the development agenda of his administration.

He commended the officers for their efforts in making the state secure with a promise that government would provide conducive working environment for its workers.

Sanwo-Olu said the present administration was ready to partner with the Police, and give the needed encouragement to keep the state safe of crimes, reiterating the commitment of government to motivating them and providing necessary equipment.

He assured that repairing of their vehicles, trainings and regular payment of allowances would not be taken for granted, saying he would instruct the State’s Ministry of Health and its Medical Directors in Hospitals to give immediate treatment to any officers that sustained injuries in the course of duty.

Sanwo-Olu said criminals must not be given a breathing space in Lagos State saying the security of lives and property remained the topmost priority of his administration, tasking the security operatives in all formations not to spare any effort in keeping the peace in Lagos.

The Governor said Lagos must not be a safe haven for crimes, directing the officers to maintain constant security surveillance across the state and flush out criminals from their hideouts.

He however, cautioned the officers against impunity in the discharge of their duties, urging them to carry out their responsibility with humility and interact with residents in manners that would uphold respect for human rights.

Sanwo-Olu inspected the security facilities in company of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Secretary to the State Government, Folashade Jaji, Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, Chief of Staff, Tayo Ayinde, Deputy Chief of Statt, Gboyega Soyannwo, and the Executive Secretary of Lagos Security Trust Fund, Abdul-Rasaq Balogun.

Also, heads of the security outfits, including RRS Commander, Olatunji Disu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, and the Taskforce chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, joined the Governor in the inspection.

Sanwo-Olu said the residents deserved a premium quality of security to justify the resources being committed by the state to fund security agencies’ operations.

The Governor said the intention of establishing the security operation outfits were to protect the people and their properties, saying taxpayers should not feel threatened by the operations of the security personnel, urging the officers to engage their duties in line with professionalism.

Sanwo-Olu said he expected to see security operations that would have human face, warning officers against abuse and extortion of residents, saying government would not hesitate to keep to its responsibility in supporting and motivating the officers deployed for the special security operations.

Commanders of the security outfits used the occasion to notify the Governor of their operational challenges, while also demanding for better welfare and quality equipment that would enable them discharge their duties.

Corporal John Bankole, who spoke on behalf of operatives attached to RSS outfit, complained about the challenges faced by officers in getting treatment at public hospital in cases of accident and injury, saying there were also complaints about delayed allowance,inadequate patrol vehicles, shortage of kits and uniforms.

Responding, Sanwo-Olu ordered the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health to ensure immediate treatment of security personnel injured in the line of duty in all state-owned healthcare facilities, assuring the policemen of improved motivation and welfare.

CSP Egbeyemi used the occasion to reel out the successes recorded by the Taskforce, pointing out that the outfit had crushed the notorious “Awawa boys” in Agege and seized more than 4,200 motorcycles for various offences.

Other security outfits inspected by the Governor included Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Nigerian Legion Corps, Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps, LSNSC, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, LAGESC, and Lagos Fire Fighters.

Speaking earlier, the RRS Commander, DCP Olatunji Disu, thanked the Governor, and his Deputy, Obafemi Hamzat for the visit, saying the police officers had been playing important roles in securing Lagos and reducing crime rates in the metropolis.

Earlier, some of the officers, who enumerated some of their challenges, appealed to the governor to provide them with state-of-the art security tools for effective and diligent discharge of their duties.