Lagos reads riot act to corrupt CDA leaders over extortion, undue harassment

Lagos State government on Friday read a riot act to some corrupt Community Development Associations (CDAs) officials in the state over extortion and undue harassment of members of the community, warning that such arbitrariness, which it described as unacceptable must stop as the government had zero tolerance to such behaviour.

Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Mrs Yetunde Arobieke, read the riot act while speaking at a news conference at Alausa, Ikeja, to herald this year’s Community Day celebration.

Arobieke said she would not hide away the fact that some cases had been brought to her office over CDAs’ extortion and harassment of members of the community.

The commissioner, while decrying such engagement as lawless activities, also some CDA members had gone to the extent of arresting landlords, vowing that the state was against any action that would “make people cast aspersions on this administration.”

“We don’t want the action of the CDAs to make people cast aspersions on this administration. They should be friendly with people, but people should pay their dues. In a case where you pay your dues and the CDAs did not use it for the projects, you can report to us, we don’t want extortion and arbitrariness,” she said.

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Speaking on the Community Day, Arobieke said the celebration, which will involve the participation of over 3,900 CDAs across the state, would be in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration

According to her, ’”The celebration would begin on Friday with Jumat Service at Central Mosque, Alausa; Health walk and talk on Saturday; visit to social institutions on Tuesday, while the grand finale would hold on Thursday, 14 November at the Police College Parade Ground located in Ikeja area of the state.”

The commissioner added that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu would be the Special Guest of Honour while other government functionaries, members of the State House of Assembly, Chairmen of Local Government Councils and LCDAs, members of the Community Advisory Councils would grace the occasion.

According to Arobieke, “Prizes will be presented to the CDAs that emerge as winners during the Project Assessment across the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs in the state by the members of the Assessment Committee.”