Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the state government will set up Rebuild Lagos Trust Fund in the aftermath of the destruction in the state occasioned by fallout of #EndSARS protests that rocked the state and the entire country.
The governor also promised that the state would offer scholarships to children of policemen killed during the #EndSARS protest to university level, compensate their families, foot the hospital bills of injured officers, take care of their burial expenses, replace all damaged personal and official vehicles of police officers, as well as work towards insurance policy for police officers in the state.
Sanwo-Olu made the promises on Wednesday when he visited the Lagos Police Command, Ikeja, for an interaction with police personnel on how to police the state better.
“I will not shy from it. We will foot all the hospital bills of injured policemen. We will pay compensation to the families of deceased officers. We will take over the burial arrangements of fallen officers. We would consider replacement of your vehicles and motorcycles that have been burnt. We would look at the numbers of Lagos Policemen in Lagos as regards insurance policy.
“All the children of fallen officers would be given scholarships so they can have a decent education. We would upgrade the police cottage hospital,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
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The governor acknowledged and thanked the personnel for their supports, even as he appreciated the women police for their dedication to service to the people of Lagos, saying they were indeed frontliners and gallant officers as well as being a source of joy.
The governor, while appreciating the personnel efforts and noting that the interaction was how to heal the wounds, said he took full responsibility of what happened, adding that the government would start implementing some of their demands immediately.
“You have not been truly acknowledged but I want to thank you. You’ve been gallant. You have shown how critical you are in our society. We might come from different background but we are all humans created by God.
“The Lagos State Police Command has been a delight in spite of our differences and inadequacies. You did not create the problems, these are institutional problems. As your governor, I acknowledge what you do and what you stand for,” he said.
Speaking further, Sanwo-Olu hinted that the concern was about how to take Lagos forward, heal the wounds and not looking back but forward, vowing that Lagos would not look back again while assuring to take full responsibility of what happened and had not as the governor.
“How do we take Lagos forward, how do we heal our wounds? It’s about not looking back but looking forward. Lagos would not look back again. As your governor, I take full responsibility for what happened and has not happened,” he vowed.
On social media, Governor Sanwo-Olu warned those using it to foment trouble desist from doing so, saying that the state government was resolved to heal the lands while assuring that Lagos would be better for it.
“I want to use this opportunity to warn those using social media to foment trouble. They are too small. We will not join issues with anybody. We are moving forward. We will heal our lands and Lagos will be better for it,” he said.
Earlier, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, in his speech commended Governor Sanwo-Olu administration’s for support.
The police boss appealed to the governor to further provide the command with security equipment, compensate families of the six personnel that lost their lives in the protests, provide insurance coverage, free medical services for the injured, scholarships for their children, among others.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, South-West, Leye Oyebade, in his own remark, said there was need to go back to the drawing board, adding that the way forward was to re-address the method of policing in the country by embracing community and digital policing.
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