Southwest Governors disturbed by police officer's disrespect of Sanwo-Olu

The Southwest Governors Forum (SGF) has strongly condemned the public disrespect of Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in his engagement with a police officer.

The governor's attempt to dislodge a police team enforcing a Supreme Court judgement at Magodo Phase 2 Estate in Lagos on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 was met with stiff resistance.

The police team had been deployed last month on orders of the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

A Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) that led the team rebuffed the Sanwo-Olu's orders to stand down, and told the governor to call his superiors instead.

A video clip of the duo's confrontation went viral online, and was described as 'disgraceful' and 'disconcerting' by the SGF in a statement on Wednesday, January 5.

"The utter disrespect, which underlines the response of the officer to the Governor establishes, beyond doubt, the impracticability of the current system, dubiously christened 'Federalism'.

"An arrangement, which compels the Governor of a State to seek clarifications on security issues in his jurisdiction from totally extraneous bodies or persons, is a sure recipe for anarchy," the governors said.

They said the IGP must provide a justification for the unacceptable intrusion, and condemned the involvement of the AGF.

They especially noted that appointed officials should not be able to casually dictate affairs of state to elected representatives of the people.

The governors said the system that allows that kind of aberration is responsible for Nigeria's prolonged security challenges.

"We stand by our brother, the Governor of Lagos State. We advise him to deploy the Regional security outfit in the State to protect the lives and property of the people," they said

The SGF also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to contain the excesses of his appointed officials who are eroding the trust between the Federal Government and the people.