Security Personnel Killings: Lagos Assembly, NPF, Others Hail Societal Concerns Initiative Endurance Walk

In fulfilment of its promise on endurance walk against incessant killing of security personnel in the country, the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Nigeria Police Force, has hailed the Societal Concerns Initiative and all patriotic citizens who trooped out in their numbers on Wednesday to register their displeasure over the killings and attacks on security personnel that the nation is currently battling with.
 
The Walk with the theme “Guardians of Honour: Protecting Our Protectors, Preserving Our Unity,” marks another significant move by the initiative and patriotic citizens, passionate about the peace and security of the nation.

The walk which commenced under bridge Ikeja and extended to Ikeja Local Government Secretariat, and proceeded to the office of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police in Ikeja GRA, came to a wrap at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

Speaking at the Police Command Headquarters, Inspector General of Police of the Nigeria Police Force, IGP Egbetokun who was represented by the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Adegoke Fayoade, on his part thanked the Societal Concerns, participants for expressing their love for the country, most especially the well being of the security personnel.

His words, “I want to sincerely thank you on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, for this tremendous support given to the police and other security personnel.

“These men and women are members of the public; they are either our brothers, sisters, fathers or mothers. The only thing that makes us different is the uniform, so, when we remove the uniform, we are civilians like you.

“We thank you so much and appreciate the fact that you sympathise with us for the loss of our men. It’s not something that we are happy about because when a policeman or woman is gone or when he or she is gruesomely killed, many people, including his wife or her husband, children and the extended family, suffer.

“This walk for security personnel, most especially those of us that ensure that members of the public are well protected, is a good thing and I think it would go a long way to change the mindset of people that specialise in attacking or killing security agents for no reason,” Fayoade said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Lagos State House of Assembly, Olukayode Steven Ogundipe, representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency 1, commended the founder of the initiative and participants for their love and patriotic spirit for the nation.

He said, “You are not doing this walk because of yourself, but you are doing it because you are patriotic Nigerians and you want the best for the nation.

“You feel that the security agents are not just security men, but parents of some people. It’s not about them alone, but about so many people.

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“So, if they are giving up their lives to serve us, we should also be concerned about their safety. That’s why the House of Assembly, under the leadership of the Speaker, Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa, is behind you on this, and we would ensure that all the resources needed to put a stop to these killings are made available to the government and the security agencies,” Ogundipe said.

He added that the requests presented by the initiative is well received by members of the Assembly for consideration.

Addressing newsmen at the rally, the founder of the Societal Concerns Initiative, Ambassador Oluwayomi Oluwapelumi, while stressing on the essence of the rally said the walk is geared toward correcting the menace of the killing of security operatives who are protecting the nation.

She said “We are here to walk against the killings of security personnel in the country and we are saying enough is enough.

“It is important for us to know that the security personnel are here to protect us, they are here to serve us.

“If you’re to take an appointment, if you want to be a security personnel in Nigeria. The first question I’m going to ask you is, are you ready to pick up that appointment? If you and I can answer this question, then we should be able to solve the question.”

Amb. Oluwapelumi indulged members of the public to stop provoking and frustrating security operatives protecting the life and property of the citizens.

She added, “There is a need for all of us to respect the uniform they put on because an attack on any of them is an attack on all of us because they secure us in order to secure the State. We need to stop provoking the security operatives, Oluwapelumi said.

While expressing disappointment over the constant attacks on security personnel, she pondered on why the citizens keep attacking the security men and making their lives short, enough is enough, Oluwapelumi added.

As the Societal Concerns Initiative remains united with patriotic citizens in protecting the protectors and upholding the values of peace, unity, and respect for human life, Director General of the initiative, Bishop Dr Joseph Ighalo Edoro and publisher of The CMC Gladiators Magazine who also featured at the Endurance walk on Wednesday, Ambassador Cornelius Udofia also admonished Nigerians to desist from killing the security operatives.

Speaking earlier to AN24, the pioneer of the initiative also emphasised that the Societal Concerns National Security Summit will be announced later days.