By Oghenekevwe Laba
LAGOS OCTOBER 16TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Lagos State Police Command, Residents of FESTAC as well as the public have faulted recent allegations leveled against Police Area ‘E’ Commander of FESTAC Territory, Mr. Dan Okoro, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) by Amuwo Odofin Local Government Chairman, Comrade Adewale Ayodele, saying the Local Government Boss over stepped his boundary by usurping the duty of the Area Commander.
It would be recalled that Ayodele on Monday accused FESTAC Police Boss, Dan Okoro of arbitrarily engaging in brazen violation of human rights, state laws and traffic rules in Lagos State. He led staff of the local government as well as miscreants whom he described as residents of FESTAC in a protest demanding for the investigation and sack of. Okoro
Ayodele in the protest publicised in print and online media alleged that the senior police officer has a habit of directing haulage tankers with metal containers to travel against the direction traffic as well as in densely populated residential areas, thereby jeopardizing people’s safety and causing damage to the environment.

In order to get the true situation of the story, Urhobotoday crews visited FESTAC where the media got first hand information on what transpired. Our investigation revealed that the immediate cause of the Local Government reaction against the FESTAC Police Boss had to do with a trailer carrying container which killed a motorcyclist.
Our source identified as Idowu Majekodunmi, a resident of FESTAC, disclosed that when the incident happened members of Amuwo Odofin LGA Civil Defence Corps and Man O’ War who arrived at the scene took laws into their hands by joining the angry mob in beating the trailer driver and his conductor to point of unconsciousness. He reported that they matcheted the legs of the driver and his conductor, adding that it was the timely arrival of FESTAC policemen under the control of Dan Okoro that saved the lives of the driver and his conductor.

According to him, “Trouble erupted when the police enjoined a good samaritan to assist them drive the truck to the police station for further investigation, while they also made frantic effort to move the unconscious driver and his conductor to a nearby hospital. But to the amazement of those present, the Local Government Chairman and his group insisted that the trailer must be driven to the local government office. Ayodele used his SUV vehicle to block front of the trailer, while his boys used a blue Hilux pickup to block back of the trailer. The trailer could neither go back nor front. They insisted that the trailer should be packed in their premises where the owner was expected to pay local government tolls.
“Members of Civil Defence Corps who came along with Ayodele, who were armed have already cocked their weapons in readiness to shoot any policeman who intrudes. If not for the matured manner Dan Okoro and his men handle the incident, it would have led to bloodshed. Despite abuse poured on Okoro and his men by miscreants popularly known as ‘area boys’ who came with Ayodele to the scene, the FESTAC Police Boss and his men kept calm and try to put the situation under control. Thus, after the interference of public spirited people, both the Police Commander and the Council Boss were made to discuss the issue one-on-one before Ayodele allowed the trailer to be packed in the police premises”
Dr Daniel Amadi, a medical doctor who resides in FESTAC said the action of the Man O’ War whom he described as the foot soldiers of Ayodele is creating havoc for the resident of FESTAC, adding that they have totally hijacked the duty of the police.

“Members of Man O’ War from the local government are terrorizing the residents of FESTAC. They take laws into their hands. They arrest residents at will and lock them up in the local government premises only to be released when their demands were met. They punctured resident’s vehicles tyre with jack knives and any attempt to challenge them will result in beating. They have taking over the duties of police. The problem we have here is that you cannot differentiate them from mobile policemen. They put on mobile policemen uniform, beret, belt and jack knife meant for mobile policemen. We the residents are fed up with the excesses of the Man O’ War,” Amadi lamented, just as he appealed to Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola to call Ayodele and his boys to order.
Debunking the allegation of corruption, brazen violation of human rights, state laws and traffic rules of Lagos State leveled against Okoro by Ayodele, a businessman and residents of FESTAC, Alhaji Mustapha Bello described the allegations as false, adding that if there is anyone guilty of such offences it is Ayodele and his Civil Defence and Man O War boys.

“I have been residing in FESTAC for over twenty years. I have seen several Area Commanders come and go, but Okoro is exceptional. He imbibed discipline on his policemen. Under him, crime rate in FESTAC has reduced drastically. Residents of FESTAC now sleep with both eyes closed. The fierceness at which his policemen foiled the attempted murder or assassination of the owner of Young Shall Grow Motors increased our confidence in him. We cannot forget so soon the way and manner he investigated the murder of Cynthia Osokogu with the culprit arrested and charge to court.
“What I feel is that Ayodele is framing up these unfounded allegations against Okoro because the disciplinary action of the FESTAC Police Boss is preventing Ayodele and his men from oppressing and witch hunting FESTAC residents,” he affirmed.
When contacted, Lagos State Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) Ngozi Braide, a Superintendent of Police (SP) debunked the various allegation of Ayodele against Okoro, stressing that Ayodele is only giving Okoro bad name in order to hang him.
She condemned the excesses of Amuwo Odofin LGA Man O’ War which she claimed are impersonating the police both in dressing and usurping their duties.
According to her, “Okoro is an educated, trained and discipline police officer. There is no way he will encourage trailers to drive against one way or encourage the habit of taking bribe because he knows the implication of such nefarious activities.
“The Man O’ War of Amuwo-Odofin LGA are impersonator. They wore Mobile Police uniform, belt and beret. They also used Mobile Police jack knives and usurped the duties of policemen. In most cases, when they commit crimes like collection of bribes and perform illegal duties, people in FESTAC think it is Nigerian Mobile Police because of the look alike dressing. They are impersonators,” She disclosed.