Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, yesterday disclosed that the state government will set up Rebuild Lagos Trust Fund (RLTF) in the aftermath of destruction in the state.
Sanwo-Olu hinted that among the purpose of the trust fund were to offer scholarships to children of policemen killed during the #EndSars protest to university level, compensate their families, foot the hospital bills of injured officers, take care of their burial expenses, replace all damaged personal and official vehicles of police officers as well as work towards insurance policy for Lagos police officers. The governor made this known when he visited the Lagos Police command, Ikeja, on an interaction with police personnel on how to police the state better.
Governor Sanwo-Olu at the event acknowledged the supports and thanked the personnel for their dedication to service to the people of Lagos, saying they were indeed frontliners and galant as they were a source of joy.
He appreciated the personnel’s efforts as the interaction was how to heal the wounds. He said he takes full responsibility of what happened adding that the government would start implementing some of their demands immediately.
“You have not been truly acknowledged. But I want to thank you. You’ve been gallant. You have shown how critical you are in our society. We might come from different backgrounds. But we are all humans created by God. The Lagos State Police command has been a delight, inspite of our differences and inadequacies. You did not create the problems. These are institutional problems. As your governor, I acknowledge what you do and what you stand for,”
he told the officers.
“How do we take Lagos forward. How do we heal our wounds? It is not about looking back but looking forward. Lagos will not look back again. As your governor, I take full responsibility for what happened and has not happened. I will not shy from it. We will foot all the hospital bills of injured policemen.
“We will pay compensation to the families of deceased officers. We will take over the burial arrangements of fallen officers. We will consider replacement of your vehicles and motorcycles that have been burnt. We will look at the numbers of Lagos Policemen in Lagos as regards insurance policy. All the children of fallen officers will be given scholarships so they can have a decent education. We will upgrade the police cottage hospital.”
Continuing he said, “I want to use this opportunity to warn those using social media to foment trouble. They are too small. We will not join issues with anybody. We are moving forward. We will heal our lands and Lagos will be better for it.”
Earlier, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, in his speech commended Governor Sanwo-Olu administration’s for support.
He appealed to the governor to further provide the command with security equipment, compensate families of the six personnel that lost their lives in the protests, provide insurance coverage,
free medical services for the injured, scholarships for their children among others.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Southwest, Leye Oyebade, said there was need to go back to the drawing board. He said that the way forward was to re-address the method of policing in the country by embracing community and digital policing. He said this was a turning point on police reformation as it is a new era in Lagos because it is a different policing.
