The Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), has stated that Lagos is fully prepared for state police and is only awaiting the signal for its creation.
Pedro made this statement during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the 10th Ramadan Lecture organized by the Anwar-ul Islam Old Students Association (ACAOSA) in Lagos.
Pedro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has been advocating for state police since 2001, emphasizing its role in improving state security. He highlighted the readiness of Lagos State, citing the existence of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps, which is fully operational and equipped with body cameras.
“Lagos is over ready for the state police. I can assure you that because we have our own Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps already in place and fully kitted and ready with even body cameras,” Pedro said.
He emphasized the importance of indigenous police in each state, noting that they would have a better understanding of the environment, including black spots and escape routes for criminals. Pedro explained that federal police officers, who may not be familiar with the local terrain, would not be as effective as officers who are native to the area.
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“The indigenous police will know in the community those who are bad boys and those who are not. Criminals will not be able to escape, and if they do, the indigenous police will know their hideouts and where they can be found,” he stated.
Addressing concerns about potential abuse of state police, Pedro acknowledged the existence of advantages and disadvantages but emphasized that the benefits outweigh the risks. He suggested that measures could be put in place to prevent potential abuses.
The 10th Annual ACAOSA Ramadan Lecture, themed “Economic Insecurity in Nigeria – Islamic Solutions,” brought together many old students of Anwar-ul Islam College Agege, formerly known as Ahmadiyya College Agege.