Wale Jagun
-Residents demand creation of police station
In her attempts to complement the efforts of the Executive Chairman, Igbogbo/Baiyeku Local Council Development Area (IBLCDA), the Councillor representing Ward C3, Hon. Saidat Adeoba Odeyemi, as organised a security summit in her ward following the successful one hosted by the council few weeks ago.
The summit which basically covers her political ward – Baiyeku, Oreta and Offin held last week to address the security challenges in this area by rallying residents to work with the government in combating crimes and social vices.
Held at the Baiyeku Primary Healthcare Centre (Maternity Centre) with the theme, “United for a Safer Community: Strengthening Security Through Collective Actions,” the summit witnessed attendance by operatives and representatives from the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, the Joint Task Force (JTF), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), alongside traditional rulers and a large number of Ward C3 residents.
In her address, Hon. Saidat Adeoba Odeyemi was unequivocal about the purpose of the summit, not as a standalone gesture but a deliberate effort to complement and sustain the security-focused governance being championed by the executive chairman of Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA Omo’ba Hammed Olalekan Aroyewun.
“Our Executive Chairman has been doing an enormous amount of work to make Igbogbo/Baiyeku safer for every family that calls this place home. My responsibility as your Honourable Councillor is to make sure that none of that effort goes to waste that the foundation he is laying is reinforced right here in Ward C3, street by street, household by household,” she said.
While emphasising that the Council Chairman, has been doing a lot in addressing security situation within the council area and also bringing about sustainable development in terms of infrastructure, and environment, Hon. Odeyemi stresssed that such gains being recorded at the council level can only be protected if residents and community leaders actively participate in safeguarding their neighbourhood.
“Security is not something you watch from the sidelines.
”When you see something, say something. Know your neighbour. Build trust with the security agencies that are here to serve you. That is how we make this work,” she urged the residents.
Representatives of the various security agencies present used the platform to sensitise residents on their roles, identify local security concerns peculiar to the ward, and reaffirm their commitment to working closely with the community. Traditional rulers in attendance lent their voice to the call for unity and vigilance, reinforcing the message that leadership at every level must be invested in the safety of the people.
Beyond the speeches and sensitisation, the summit produced a clear and collective demand from the Councillor and attendees alike that engagement of this nature must not be a one-time event.
Residents and stakeholders called for regular, structured meetings between the community and the security agencies operating within Ward C3, urging that such dialogue be sustained and institutionalised.
Of particular note was the strong push from the floor for the Executive Chairman, Omo’ba Hammed Olalekan Aroyewun, to intensify support toward bringing the proposed police station in the area into full operational use. With President Bola Ahmed Tinubu having given constitutional backing to state police reforms, attendees expressed confidence that the timing could not be more strategic and called on the chairman to leverage this window to ensure Ward C3 and the broader Igbogbo/Baiyeku community benefit from a functional, community-focused police presence.
Security operatives at the summit were equally urged to throw their weight behind the actualisation of the facility, with residents arguing that a dedicated station would significantly reduce response time and strengthen the overall security architecture of the ward.
