2,123 Policemen Deployed For Jonathan’s Protection While Robbers Attacked Bank – Fashola

Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday said over 2, 123 police officers that would have helped to quell the recent gruesome bank robbery in the state were all deployed to protect President Goodluck Jonathan when he visited the state.

Fashola who said this yesterday at the 2015 Agriculture Value Chains Empowerment programme, lamented that the president’s visit to the state paralysed the state security apparatus to a large extent as a result of which it could not deal with the armed robbery incident.

He said nearly all the vehicles bought by the state government for the police to enable them respond rapidly to crime were on alert for the president.

Fashola said, “When the president came to Lagos last Thursday, while citizens were being robbed, the president was protected by 2,123 security personnel.

“Let me be very clear, the president is entitled to every protection; he’s our president, but the question to ask is that, when you were being traumatised yesterday, where were these 2,123 men, because you are also entitled to be protected. The reason why the president gets all that protection is so that he can protect all of us”.

Fashola said he was also miffed by the reports of violence and harassment of innocent citizens on Monday during a protest by members of the O’dua People’s Congress (OPC) and Coalition of Concerned Nigerians loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

“Yesterday, they also showed the difference between us and them when the supporters of the PDP and President Jonathan came out. On March 7, just about a week ago, the APC held a solidarity walk in Lagos. Did anybody attack you on that day?

“So, yesterday, they held their own, but what I heard, because I received telephone calls and text messages from residents who explained to me; I received e-mails; I’m sorry for the pain and trauma they put you through because residents continuously complained yesterday that they were traumatised by those people who supposedly were carrying out a rally in support of the president and in support of their gubernatorial candidate.” (Leadership)