Sanwo-Olu receives 16 security operations vehicles from Shell

Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, received 16 security operations vehicles from Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SNEPCO) toward enhancing security in the state, describing the gesture as another confirmation of collaboration that is working for the state and a promise kept.

Sanwo-Olu said this during the handover ceremony at the State House, Marina, even as he assured that the vehicles would be deployed for the purpose for which they were donated.

”We are excited because this is another confirmation of collaboration, another promise kept, another public-private partnership that is working for us in Lagos State.

“A couple of months back, even way before COVID-19, we have met at a dinner and have asked and solicited for support from our private sector operatives in Lagos and SNEPCO was in that dinner and they were committed to providing something for the state.

“So, this was a commitment that was made to us months back but we are indeed glad that even given all of the very difficult terrain all of us have gone through, they have been able to make it, together with their joint partners- NNPC, ExxonMobil.

“They are doing this because, we, as the government has shown consistent transparency in how we deal with them, we have shown that when they support us, we get to use it for what the support is meant for.

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“So we want to reassure you again, that whilst we are Oliver Twist, we will continue to ask for more because we see ourselves as joint partners and we will continue to collaborate,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu further assured that the security agencies that continued to keep the state safe would get the vehicles, saying that the state government, through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) would determine how the vehicles were distributed.

Managing Director, SNEPCO, Mr Bayo Ojulari, in his remarks, said that the donation of the 16 vehicles was to enhance policing and facilitate response time to distress calls in the state.

SNEPCO boss commended the state government for what he described as its untiring efforts in the fight against COVID-19 and the enforcement of law and order that had kept the over 20 million residents of the state save in the face of security threats to lives, properties and businesses.

Ojulari said SNEPCO and indeed Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN) recognised the tremendous work the state government was doing to strengthen security in the state amidst limited resources and being a commercial nerve centre faced with security threats to businesses, human lives and properties, which had negatively impacted its economy, its people and by extension that of the entire nation.

“Our keen and constant evaluation of the state of our community always helps to identify gaps where we believe we can intervene to make a difference.

“In this instance, we recognise the need to support the government’s efforts in keeping the state safe, just as we have continued to support the state in two other areas of education and health.

“This, to a large extent, aligns with our priority of safety, health and development of our people and communities where we operate.

“Therefore, the 16 units of security vehicles being presented to the State’s Security Trust Fund is to enhance policing and facilitate quick response time to distress calls, which are considered to be critical to crime prevention.

“We will continue to work with the state to seek other areas of collaboration and partnership,” he said.

Also speaking, the Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr Bala Wunti, said that NNPC believed in investing and touching lives of people through all possible means.

Wunti, represented by Mrs Clementina Arubi of Community Relations of NAPIMS, said that NNPC had donated a total of N21 billion in kind, in an effort to bring relief to Nigeria, during this COVID-19 pandemic.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE