The new Commissioner of Police in charge of Lagos Command, Idowu Owohunwa, has assured residents of the state that the elections will be peaceful, secure and credible.
Owohunwa gave the assurance on Tuesday in Lagos while taking over the leadership of the command from his predecessor, Acting AIG Abiodun Alabi, at the state command headquarters, Ikeja.
He said that their operations shall be conducted within the dictates of the Revised Code of Conduct for Police Officers on Election Security Duty, which was recently developed by the Inspector General of Police.
“I, however, call on the electorate to cooperate with us and exercise their franchise within the ambit of the law in the electoral process.
“The Command is committed to identifying, isolating and dealing decisively with any person or group that intends to put our resolve to ensure peace within the electoral process to the test.
In this regard, while electoral adversaries will be brought to justice in the swiftest manner, peace-loving and law-abiding electorate will be duly protected and the electoral space fully policed for this purpose,” he said.
On criminal elements in the state, Owohunwa promised that under his watch, the command would be hard on criminals and their networks.
He said he would be civil with law-abiding citizens and respectful of their rights.
“This is Lagos. This is the pride of the country. Without the buy-in of strategic stakeholders and all spectrum of Lagosians, the journey to policing excellence may be rough and bumpy. In this process, therefore, I solicit the support, guidance, and trust of all Lagosians.
“I will remain open to constructive criticisms, inputs, pieces of advice and above all, critical criminal information that will aid our proactive actions in crime management,” he said.
Owohunwa, therefore, warned his officers and men against unprofessional conduct, stressing that the bond with Lagosians was to keep them safe and secure.
He promised to work assiduously to provide the requisite leadership to Lagos command in a manner that would prioritise discipline, training, capacity development, professionalism and public accountability.
“I promise that under my watch, I will be hard on deviants within the fold of the State Police Command who continually bring us into disrepute and pitch us against the citizens we are paid to serve and protect.
“Such elements are encouraged to embrace the tenets of self-discipline in the common good or be ready for the consequences.
“An undisciplined officer is a threat not only to the policing family but to the community and the state he serves. Hence, my leadership will be founded firmly and strictly on discipline and professionalism,” he said.
