THE reality and integrity of Nigeria’s federal system of government was put to test yesterday as a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) openly defy the orders of the ‘Chief Security Officer’ (CSO) of the state, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Governor Sanwo-Olu had an exchange with the police officer, who declared that he does not take orders from the governor, in the presence of a large gathering of residents of Magodo Phase II Estate.
The video clip from the incident went viral shortly triggering widespread commentaries and criticisms from the public, many of who questioned the nature of Nigeria’s federation.
The governor was forced to the scene after residents began protesting against the presence of the police at the estate.
The protesters decried the invasion of the estate by a team of policemen alleged to be providing security for court bailiffs who were seeing in a viral video sealing off some property in the enforcement of a Supreme Court judgement in favour of the Adeyiga family.
Sanwo-Olu arrived at the estate with some members of his cabinet, including the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the state, Moyosore Onigbanjo, and the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, among others.
Sanwo-Olu told the CSP, Oyebanjo, who led the police team on the operation from Abuja to vacate the estate but the CSP said he would not do so, until he got clearance from those who sent him.
He said was sent by the Inspector General of Police through the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and it is only on their orders that he would obey the governor’s directives.
“Can you call your superior in Abuja and tell them that the governor is here, and I am the chief security officer, and that you don’t have any business being in my state right now and that I want you to disengage forthwith from here?” Sanwo-Olu said.
However, the policeman in mufti (green Polo-shirt) said: “I am here on the instruction of the inspector general of police through the AGF. I am too small or too low to call them. Your Excellency sir, with due respect sir, you can call them directly sir so that they can tell us to leave.”
The governor eventually asked the agitated protesters and media to gove him “five minutes” to make some calls, as advised by the policeman.
He returned after some 45 minutes, and assured that he had spoken to the relevant people and the situation would be handled.
Sanwo-Olu asked the CSP to give an account of the number of policemen at the estate, but he responded:
“I have several of them, sir. I cannot precisely tell you how many we are. I know the number of my men here sir, we sought for some other people to join us. But for security purpose, I cannot say this is the figure, sir.”
Sanwo-Olu thereafter declared the operation as illegal, saying he would speak again with the AGF on the matter.
The siege on Magodo II Estate was resisted by landlords and residents, who protested and trooped out en masse to prevent forceful takeover or demolition of their properties.
Sanwo-Olu who was accompanied by his cabinet members and the State Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, said the matter called for proper deliberation in the interest of peace and therefore implored all parties to stand down until the matter is completely resolved.
The governor also assured residents of the estate that nobody would be harassed or any property be pulled down pending the outcome of his meeting with all the parties involved.
He said: “I have spoken extensively with the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney- General of the Federation, and we have resolved all of the issues. So what we would see is that there is going to be a total stand down. Tomorrow (Wednesday), we will be inviting the representatives of the judgement creditors.
“We have actually started a committee meeting, but I want to invite them (Judgement creditors) again officially to my office tomorrow by 11 a.m. to come over with two or three of their representatives. The state government representatives will be there, the residents’ association will be there, and the police will also be there. So whatever it is that must have brought about all these troubles and heartaches will need to be brought there. “We will all go through every line of it and we will come to an amicable resolution. So, I want everyone to please ensure that peace will be restored to the estate. I want all of our citizens to go about their lawful businesses knowing fully well that nobody will be harassed or any property will be trampled upon pending all of these conversations.
“We will have an extended conversation tomorrow so that we can bring this to final closure. So I want to ask the residents, the executives, don’t take the laws into your hands. Just go back home peacefully. The Policemen have been recalled back. They would be here and nothing would happen. And tomorrow, even the judgement creditors, would also come to meet with us. They claimed that the people that we met here were not their full representatives.”
Prior to Sanwo-Olu’s address to journalists and residents of the estate, the governor and his team visited the police station within the estate, he was addressed by one CSP Abimbola Oyewole, who told him that his team had been sent from Abuja to execute the Supreme Court judgement on Magodo Phase 2 properties.
After the police team leader could not provide the copy of the said judgement as demanded by the governor, Governor Sanwo-Olu ordered the armed policemen to deactivate their operation and leave Lagos in the interest of peace.
Sanwo-Olu told the Police officers that the matter is between the state government and the judgement creditor.
“It is a case between the residents of Lagos and the supposed people, not the residents. They have nothing to do with the residents. Please, can you call your superior now in Abuja that the state governor is here standing in front of you and I am the Chief Security Officer and that I want you to leave now and that you have no business in my state, that I want you to disengage now?” Sanwo-Olu declared.
Sanwo-Olu later placed phone calls to the authorities in Abuja, on whose authority the armed policemen were said to have been acting and the stand off was resolved.
The visit of Sanwo-Olu also facilitated the release of about 20 residents that were arrested earlier by the Police officers. According to residents of the estate, those arrested were detained by the Police in what they described as an unlawful invasion of their properties, saying most of the property owners were locked up in the name of the enforcement of the Supreme Court verdict.
The refusal of the CSP to respect the directive of the Governor has brought back the yet to be fully disclosed ‘chain of command’ that led to the unfortunate incident of October 20, 2020 when armed soldiers shot into a gathering of the #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll gate, an action that allegedly led to death of some of the protesters. The question being asked by many of the commentators is: Who gave the order for the soldiers to invade the site of the protests, and shoot at the protesters who were singing teh National Anthem and armed with only the Nigerian flag.
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