₦airaland Forum

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When he assumed office as Lagos State Commissioner of Police in 2017, Mr. Imohimi Edgal left no one in doubt of his determination to offer exemplary service and ensure adequate protection of lives and property in the Centre of Excellence. In an interaction with reporters soon after his appointment became effective, Imohimi Edgal said, “I told my officers and men that my passion for this assignment means that if I have to dine with the devil with a long spoon to ensure that Lagosians live in peace and happiness, I will do so. I intend to partner with everybody. I want to assure His Excellency that during my own watch, he will have no cause for complaint or concern”.

Of course, many of his colleagues in the police force took his pledge with a pinch of salt. It was whispered that Edgal was appointed Commissioner of Police in Lagos State simply because he was a schoolmate and a very close friend of the governor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode. Those who belonged to this school of thought argued that Edgal’s immediate predecessor in office, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, had performed with distinction and did not deserve to be shoved aside so peremptorily and unfairly.

There were, however, those who contended that Edgal’s being a classmate and friend to the incumbent governor of Lagos State should not become an albatross on his career in the Nigeria Police Force. What matters most, they contended, was the capability and competence of the man to discharge the duties of the office effectively and efficiently. Even as Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations in Lagos State, Edgal had shown what stuff he was made of ever before his posting as Commissioner of Police in the state.

For instance, he frontally confronted the menace of the violent Badoo cult group that had terrorized the people of Ikorodu for long kidnapping, killing and dehumanizing innocent citizens. To achieve this objective, he mobilized members of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), Ikorodu local vigilante, Directorate of State Services (DSS), Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corp and traditionalists in a collaborative effort that has practically wiped out the cult and brought a halt to its activities. He is also acknowledged as playing a key role in the successful rescue of the six students of Lagos Model College, Igbonla, Epe, who were kidnapped from the school premises on May, 25, 2017.

There is no doubt that Mr. Imohimi Edgal came well prepared for the job both academically and also in terms of rich operational experience. In the academic sphere, he graduated as a student of Art from the University of Jos in 1984 and also obtained a Masters degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Lagos in 2004. Apart from attending several courses organized by the Department for International Development (DFID) based in the UK, he also obtained a Certificate of National Security for Nigeria’s Defense Intelligence at the Centre of Strategic studies, Galilee International Management Institute, Israel, among others.

As a police field officer, Mr. Edgal, who enlisted in the NPF as a cadet ASP on February 2, 1986, has served as Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Shomolu, Ikeja and Surulere police Divisions in Lagos before his promotion first as Chief Superintendent of Police and later Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Area ‘A’ Command, Lagos. But it is exactly because of his professional experience and track record as well as academic attainments that the violence, which disrupted the Tuesday, January 8th, All Progressives Congress (APC)’s flag off campaign in Lagos by hoodlums on CP Edgal’s watch is inexcusable and indefensible.

For one, the Lagos State police headquarters is a stone throw from the venue of the rally, which is the Sky Power Ground, Ikeja. Of course, the police authorities cannot claim they were unaware that an event of such magnitude would be holding right behind their headquarters. How could such a large number of thugs armed with knives, cutlasses, guns and charms gain access unchallenged into the venue of the rally? After all, election campaign rallies have taken place at that venue at election seasons in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015. Not even when the PDP, in control at the centre expressed its determination to ‘conquer’ Lagos by all means and at all costs have we witnessed such horrendous acts of violence as took place at the APC flag off campaign for the governorship election. This kind of atrocity never happened under Imohimi Edgal’s predecessors in the last 20 years.

Was Mr. Imohimi Edgal aware that the Chief Security Officer of the state, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, would be in attendance at the event? Was he aware that the APC governorship candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwo -Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, would be in attendance? If yes, what explained the tardiness in the security arrangements to guarantee the safety of lives and property? Is it true that the Commissioner of Police met with leaders of the feuding factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and extracted a promise from them to keep the peace at the rally? As a seasoned police officer that he is, should Edgal not have mobilized his men to provide massive and water tight security at the venue just in case the NURTW factions did not keep their word just as ultimately happened?

This incident remains an indelible stain on Mr. Edgal’s hitherto spotless garment of exemplary professionalism. Unfortunately, all kinds of conspiracy theories are being read into his perceived lukewarm attitude to providing maximum security at the Sky Power Ground, venue of the APC flag off campaign rally. For instance, one theory has it that as a school mate and close friend of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Edgal was piqued at the governor’s loss in his party’s primaries and was thus part of a plot to cause mayhem at the rally in order to create the impression of the APC as a fractious and badly divided party going into the elections.

Of course, there is no way to prove this kind of allegation but such insinuations and speculations are bound to arise when such a grave security lapse occurs on the watch of a CP who is otherwise highly experienced and competent. Mr. Edgal, by his inexplicable negligence has done great damage to the image of Governor Ambode, a man who has received high praise in diverse quarters for accepting the outcome of his party’s primaries with equanimity and philosophical calmness.

Perhaps sensing that CP Edgal has become a divisive, partisan and contentious figure in the unfolding political scenario in Lagos State, the immediate past Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, deployed him to police headquarters in Abuja and moved CP Kayode Egbetokun to Lagos as Acting Commissioner of Police.

Just as happened when Mr. Edgal was posted to Lagos as Acting CP, there has been outcry in some quarters against Egbetokun’s initial appointment. Those who oppose his occupying the office of Commissioner of Police in Lagos State do not question Egbetokun’s academic brilliance or unstinted professional record over the years. Their grouse is that he was posted to serve as Chief Security Officer of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration about 20 years ago! They claim that his deployment to Lagos as CP is part of the plan to rig elections in favour of the APC in Lagos. This is probably why the new Acting IGP, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, has directed that the status quo be maintained in the Lagos State police command.

Egbetokun joined the NPF as a cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police on March 3, 1990. He has served with distinction in various capacities over the years including Chief Security Officer to the Lagos State governor from 1999-2005, Commissioner of Police Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Commissioner of Police Servicom, the Force Headquarters, Abuja, Deputy Commandant, Police College, Ikeja, Commandant, Police Training School, Ikeja, Area Commander, Gusau, Zamfara State, Area Commander, Osogbo, Osun Sttae, Commander, Rapid Response Squad, Lagos, Squadron Commander, Mopol 5, Benin, and Officer in charge, Anti-Fraud, Federal Capital Territory among others.

Furthermore, Mr Egbetokun holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, Postgraduate diploma in Computer Science, and an M.Sc in Engineering Analysis, all from the University of Lagos. He also obtained a post graduate diploma in Petroleum Economics from Delta State University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Lagos State University, Ojo. This is apart from a number of professional training courses he has attended at home and abroad. Should such a brilliant officer be denied his legitimate career progression just because he was posted by the police authorities to serve as a governor’s Chief Security Officer some 20 years ago?

Egbetokun was not involved in elections in 2007, 2011 and 2015, yet the PDP was unable to ‘capture’ Lagos as its leaders had often threatened to do. Indeed, in the 2018 election in Osun, Egetokun was the DPO who oversaw police operations in Ikire and PDP won in that local government because of his principled commitment to free and fair elections.

Can critical and substantial sections of the political class trust Imohimi Edgal to be a dispassionate professional in Lagos in the forthcoming election? I doubt it. Just as under his watch gun totting hoodlums and rival NURTW factions could have easy access into the venue of a political rally to kill, maim and cause mayhem, can Imohimi Edgal be trusted to maintain law and order and enforce the peace on election day? I doubt it. Edgal’s professionalism, objectivity and emotional detachment are badly tainted. He has become a liability rather an asset to the NPF in Lagos.

Imohimi Edgal, the police chief of Lagos State seems like an activist officer. If he weren’t a cop, he would probably be an agitator and crusader for social and societal upliftment. Hardball sees him leading the lines in street protests and issuing fiery releases in indignation of obdurate authorities trampling on civil rights

nonye6194:
You people and long story. Something that has nothing with removing the dullard from aso rock

Mille:
When you think it can't get any worse. Who will save us, the real Lagosians from the Tyranny of this Tinubu Empire.

Imagine newspapers who are not supposed to be partisan becoming the spokesmen of a political party. Just like they did with Ambode, they have started with the Lagos Police Commissioner.

The same "The nation" wrote an article months ago praising Edgal as seen by the opening sentence of the article linked below.



http://thenationonlineng.net/the-dilemma-of-mr-edgal/