From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state, yesterday described the terror alert issued by the United State (US)’s Consul-General in the state at the weekend, as inappropriate.
The US Consul-General in Lagos had, at the weekend, said that in April, groups associated with terrorism allegedly planned to mount an unspecified attack against the Sheraton Hotel, in Nigeria, near the city of Lagos.
Fashola spoke after handing over 100 patrol vehicles, 150 patrol motorbikes, five ‘Black Maria’ vehicles and one towing vehicle donated by the state Security Trust Fund, LSSTF at the state House, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.
He said that the information violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948; Freedom from fear.”
According to him, “I think that there are channels of communication that information of that type can be shared without creating panic. And I think that citizens of all nationals can be protected without throwing a cat among pigeons.
“I will hope that we are more circumspect in the way we share information and that our intentions are noble. This is very important. At this time, what the country needs is more information in the right hands, to the right places.
“This will assist our agencies and government to overcome this difficult period. And not disseminating information through the social media especially in a way that there is no control and management. Anyone who does that doesn’t mean well for the country.”
He noted that the release of such information raises new dimension into the obligation of nations and government around the world to ensure peace and to cooperate with one another.”
Lamenting the gravity of the information the information, the governor said, “The fundamental freedom that seems to have gone out of our daily discusses which the freedom from fear is. And this was a freedom that was recognize in 1948, when the declaration of rights were been adopted as a global publication.
“At a local level, I have received information before that a particular commercial bank was about to be robbed. I didn’t go out and announce to the public that such act will be committed in the state. All I did was that I called the security officials and what we did was to sleep inside the bank. The robbers came at night, and we apprehended them without the public idea except the bank manager who was aware on why we visited the bank and our mission,” he added.
On the security, the governor described terrorism as a threat to humanity, calling for the concerted efforts of all countries in tackling the menace.
Fashola said he was disturbed by the recent abduction of about 200 school girls in Chibok, Borno, urging all Nigerians to unite to ensure their safe rescue.
The governor appealed to Divisional Police Officers, DPO to be pro-active in their security checks, saying: “DPO’s should constantly meet with their community to ensure that security challenges in their community solved.
“All of these tools mean nothing unless we have dedicated men and women who choose to act professionally in the responsibility of law enforcement entrusted upon them.”
Fashola urged residents to co-operate with the state government in providing security by report suspicious activities of criminals in their communities.
Speaking earlier, the Secretary of the fund, Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey said that N300 million in maintaining the vehicles for security check in the state.
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