The Lagos State Government in its bid to stem the tide of insecurity in the state has made a donation of N4.7 billion equipment including of 100 4-door salon cars, 55 Ford Ranger pick-ups, 10 Toyota land cruiser pick-ups, 15 BMW power bikes, 100 power bikes, Isuzu trucks, three helicopters, two gun boats, 15 armoured personnel carriers to the Rapid Response Squad and the Nigeria Police Force.
The state in recent time has been in the grips of hoodlums who rob the people in the day light in heavy traffic. And there are those who flagrantly disobey the traffic laws of the state by driving against the traffic. This donation is one of the biggest donations to the police since they have become the biggest target for Corporate Social Responsibility.
In this country, the vehicles used by the Nigeria Police Force are the mostly scruffy; let’s think of the various vehicles of the police that we see on the streets. One of the many questions beginning for an answer is, ‘where are the older vehicles donated to RRS and the Police?’ Yes, the rate at which a vehicle deteriorates is fast but the depreciation depends on the maintenance of these vehicles. This was stated by the Lt. Gen. Abdurrahman Dambazau, the representative of President Muhammadu Buahari at the event. Another question to think about is, ‘Who is responsible for the maintenance of these vehicles?
In this country, it is only the vehicles of the Police that cannot be auctioned. The Nigeria Police need to use these vehicles in a civil way. There are a lot of mechanic villages in and around town where these vehicles are abandoned after the reckless use by men of the Police Force. This reflects the level to which government vehicles are ‘nobody’s vehicles’. Many vehicles belonging to government agencies and parastatals are in the garages of retired civil servants while those currently in service carry out their official duties on foot. Policemen are not known to be that reckless with their personal cars.
The Police Force and Rapid Response Squad should use these vehicles conscientiously so that the citizenry can have a good story to tell of these donations from taxes of Lagosians. The traditional rulers in the state have urged the police to judiciously utilize the N4.7 billion security equipment provided for the Police force by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration.
