Neighbourhood Safety Corps controversy: ‘We were sidelined for godfathers’ candidates’

AKIN ADEWAKUN, OLALEKAN OLABULO, CHUKWUMA OKPARAOCHA and NAZA OKOLI delved into the allegations of fraud rocking the recruitment exercise of new Lagos community “police”.

ABOUT a month ago, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps was launched with media blitz and fanfare. The state government gave the residents so much hope on the security windfall expected to be reaped from the multi-billion Naira community policing project. The leadership, particularly the board led by Osun State-born retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Israel Ajao, was upbeat about history that the “community” police was about making. Residents were also optimistic that their own from their neighbourhood who know their security challenges, were being “sufficiently” armed and empowered to protect them. Everything looks perfect and beautiful about the scheme from the outside but there are stories suggesting an ugliness within, starting from the recruitment process, which Ajao, in a telephone chat with Saturday Tribune, dismissed as mere fabrications and pure sour-graping.

In the beginning

Weeks after the corps began its operations, residents of the state have expressed hope, fear and disappointment in some of the unfolding events and called on the state government to urgently put things in order.

The first thing that suggests that all may not be well with the scheme yet are issues that relate to the recruitment of personnel.

There are also grumblings among some former members of the Neighbourhood Watch, which metamorphosed into the new outfit. Some of them accused politicians of hijacking the recruitment process and that many of them had been jettisoned after serving in the old outfit, which was a brainchild of a former governor of the state, Senator Bola Tinubu.

Politics of recruitment exercise

What the majority of Lagos residents may not be aware of is the alleged huge ‘politics’ and ‘man-know-man’ game that allegedly characterised the recruitment exercise.

A major pointer to this fact is what appeared to be the sidelining of those who had worked in the original scheme. Many of the personnel in the old scheme had been assured that with their experience and exposure which spanned over five years, their inclusion in the refurbished scheme was guaranteed.

But many of the old Watchers were shocked when their names were eventually dropped from the final lists of successful applicants. The reason, it was gathered, was not far-fetched. There were said to be indications that the scheme was hijacked by politicians who injected names of their own candidates into the lists and ensured that such candidates eventually emerged successful.
Old Watchers’ grief

Although many old Watchers who were not mobilised were reluctant to speak against the perceived injustice that got them dropped because of the reported promise by the corps leadership to mobilise them in the near future, one of them spoke to Saturday Tribune based on an understanding that his identity would be concealed. The personnel of the old scheme, whose station was at the Secretariat, Alausa, said the day he realised his name had been removed from the final list was one of the saddest days of his life.

He said after serving for over five years in the old scheme, there were assurances that people like him would be given the highest priority in the recruitment of workers for the refurbished scheme.

“We were assured judging by the fact that we served well in the old scheme for years without being found wanting. We were assured that our experience would count for something and they would give us an edge during the recruitment exercise. Yet, I didn’t take anything for granted, as I ensured I submitted every single thing that was supposed to help me. But all was a lie as my name and many of my colleagues’ were unjustly removed from the final list.

“It was indeed a sad day for me when I was dropped. As I speak to you, I am still at a loss on what to do as I have no other source of income and my wife’s business is so petty that she can’t make any meaningful contribution to the finances of the family,” he said.

The man alleged that people like him lost out because they had no “political father” or “strong man” to rely on unlike the majority of the chosen ones.

Another former member of the old Neighbourhood Watch, who pleaded for anonymity, while speaking with Saturday Tribune, however, stated that there were arrangements to integrate some of them.

“I was in the Neighbourhood Watch for more than seven years and we have people who were there longer than that. We were assured that all of us would be part of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps but that is not the case now. Many of us applied for recruitment but we were denied employment.

“Politicians submitted lists and our names were replaced with their candidates. Many of us were affected but I leant that they are considering us now. That is why they have not deployed all the newly recruited members of the corps to their stations.

“Some of our commandants are fighting for us. This is the time to reap the benefits of what we suffered in the past. We worked with little or no money in the past and now that it is time to collect monthly salary, some people are trying to short-change us,” the former member of the Neighbourhood Watch said.

Politicians’ list

Meanwhile, at the height of the recruitment exercise, Saturday Tribune spotted a member of the state House of Assembly chatting with a certain man believed to be one of those working on the recruitment. At a point, the lawmaker pleaded with the man in question to include the name of a candidate of his among those slated to be unveiled as the successful applicants. The meeting, which lasted for less than five minutes, saw the recruiting man assuring the lawmaker that his request would be granted.

Saturday Tribune couldn’t confirm if the lawmaker’s request was eventually granted but it was later gathered that virtually all the lawmakers, based on their positions and influence, had various slots allotted to them.

It was also rumoured that other key stakeholders within the government such as commissioners, party leaders, as well as high-ranking individuals in the state’s civil service also had candidates whom they included in the list.

This perhaps led to a long list of candidates which necessitated the knocking off of names of individuals who had no one to fight for them.

Meanwhile, there are fears that the new members of the corps might hide under their political godfathers to abuse the process. But the police in the state expressed confidence that the new corps would complement the efforts of the police.

Residents’ rising hope

Residents of many communities in Lagos, in interviews with Saturday Tribune, expressed delight at the new security outfit which, according to them, would bring policing closer to the people at the grass roots. They, however, claimed to have only heard of the security outfit. They said they had not come across the personnel three weeks after they were inaugurated.

For residents of Agbelekale, Aboru, in Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, the idea of a neighbourhood watch could not have come at a more auspicious time than now when it was becoming increasingly obvious that the regular police could not curb the incidence of crime, especially in the neighbourhoods. They, therefore, urged the government to expedite action on making the impact of the new security outfit felt in every nook and cranny of the state.

Lere Omoyele, a retail shop owner on Agbelekale Street, in a chat with Saturday Tribune, argued that although a police post existed in the area, burglaries had gone on unabated in the community. “I can tell you that this neighbourhood needs this kind of outfit. A security outfit that will understand this terrain very well and will be conversant with the activities of criminals in the state,” he stated.

According to Omoyele, a sizable number of motorcycles have either been snatched or stolen where they were parked in the past few months. He, however, expressed the belief that the presence of the new outfit would reduce the crime.

Another resident, Alhaji Ahmed, who lives on Raji Razak Street in the Akinola area of Oke Odo, praised the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, for re-introducing the neighbourhood security outfit. He, however, asked the governor to ensure that the impact of the safety corps is felt in every community.

“For instance, since its launch in March, the impact of the outfit is yet to be felt. Except when I go out, I have not caught a glimpse of these people in the neighbourhood. That is why I want the state government to take these things beyond rhetoric and ensure that they achieve the objectives for which they were set up,” he stated.

For Olumide Ayodele, a resident of Oworonshoki, the introduction of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps would strengthen efforts by existing outfits to bolster security in the area which, he said, was a haven for thugs and miscreants. Ayodele was, however, not optimistic about the future and success of the scheme since, according to him, it is very likely that members of the corps would “go the way the police and other enforcement agents in Lagos and in Nigeria have gone.”

He said: “In my area (New Garage, Oworonshoki), violence by cult members and armed robbers is common. It has reduced in recent years but it is still a common thing. So, if there is a way the Neighbourhood Safety Corps can work with us to fish out these people, we will be happy. The police are not helping matters. Everybody in Nigeria understands the problem with the police. So, I want the government to equip these new ones and pay them regularly. Also, their activities should be monitored. That is how we can feel safe here.”

Ayodele, who works as an office attendant at Opebi, however, said he had yet to see the operatives. “I heard about them but they have not started coming to our area. We are waiting,” he said

Expert’s opinion

A marketing communications expert, Mr Ilori Oladele, however, believes communities must be sensitised about the activities of the neighbourhood security outfit to ensure its effectiveness.

“What the government needs to do for now is to ensure that people get to know this outfit and its operational system. An enlightenment campaign will not be out of place. A lot of residents still do not know that the neighbourhood security outfit exists weeks after the launch. I think for them to be effective, their activities must be advertised to allow the people key into them,” Oladele told Saturday Tribune.

Police react

The spokesperson of the state police command, Olarinde Famous Cole, said: “The neighbourhood corps is rather a complementary effort, supportive body which will work alongside other security agencies, including the police, in keeping Lagos safe.” He added: “The Nigeria police has a good working relationship with sister security organisations and the neighbourhood security corps will enjoy that same privilege.”

Allegations false, DIG Ajao roars

The chairman of the corps, DIG Ajao, became angry when Saturday Tribune brought the allegations to his knowledge. He said he was just coming out of a meeting of the board which, he said, had been working to ensure that the corps emerges as a success story.

After looping all the allegations which include favouritism, political patronage, amoral substitution and unethical conducts together, he described all as falsehoods.

“All these allegations are blatant lies. The corps was set up in good faith by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to complement security in the state. The whole world is going the way of community policing and what the governor has done here, I have not seen it done elsewhere. There was no discrimination on the basis of religion or tribe. The governor specifically said state of origin should not be a consideration, so whether you are from Delta or Anambra or Kano doesn’t matter in our recruitment.

“Those that were recruited got it solely on merit and meeting the eligibility criteria. Apart from being physically, mentally and medically fit, with medical report to confirm it, what were demanded were the applicants’ Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) cards. As a former top police officer, nothing could be neater.

“Those talking (levelling allegations) are outside the fence and can’t see what is going on within the system. I won’t be part of any situation where people would cut corners. Those complaining failed the eligibility test. What they are saying now about politicians’ candidates taking up their slots is cheap blackmail. No politicians, either party leaders or lawmakers, gave us any list to employ. We pick without bias but we won’t appoint those who didn’t meet the criteria set out in our guidelines. Not even the governor imposed any candidate on anyone. Nobody has imposed anybody.

“We are given absolute free hand by the governor. Those complaining failed eligibility test. We are a part-time board. All the board members are here with me. Our livelihood isn’t here. We are here mainly to serve. I am extremely disappointed with those attacking us. We don’t sleep. We worked overnight. You can see things for yourself at our camp in Iyana-Ipaja NYSC camp.

“We have not heard about our officers misbehaving. We have trained them on fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution. Any officer we catch abusing people’s fundamental rights, we will deal with him. The board can hire and fire.

“Imagine the old Watchers who are complaining. In the first batch of 1,140 officers, they were all old Watchers. In subsequent batches, we are still considering those who are yet to be absorbed but those who are not qualified won’t be picked. They can’t blackmail us even if they go to CNN.”

Regarding the posting of the new officers, Ajao said: “Apart from posting them to their local governments, they go to their wards where they know the people and they are known. It is community policing and there must be no alienation. Nigerians will soon smile about this corps.”