South West Governors have carpeted the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, over an encounter between Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and the police.

Some policemen, who had besieged an estate in Magodo, Lagos,  openly defied Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's order to leave the place.

In a viral video, the governor was seen exchanging words with a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Abimbola Oyewole.

Oyewole had told the governor that he and his armed colleagues were at the estate on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba; as well as the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

But in a statement issued by Rotimi Akeredolu, Chairman of the South West Governors' Forum, the governors described the action of the policeman as unacceptable.

"We are in possession of a video which has gone viral on the social media concerning the disgraceful exchange between a police officer, a CSP, and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwoolu, the supposed Chief Security Officer of the State, at the Magodo Residential Estate."

"The content of the video is very disconcerting, and this is being charitable. 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.

"We condemn, very strongly, this brazen assault on decency. We call on the IG to explain the justification for this intrusion. This is not acceptable. Any expectations of rapprochement between so called federating units and federal security agencies are becoming forlorn, progressively, due to deliberate acts which mock our very avowal to ethics and professionalism.

"We condemn, in very clear terms, the role of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami SAN in this act of gross moral turpitude.

"We, on our part, will continue to interrogate the current system, which treats elected representatives of the people as mere prefects, while appointed office holders ride rough shod over them as Lords of the Manor. If the purported Chief Security Officers of the States of the Federation require clearance from the office of the IG on matters within their areas of jurisdictions, only hypocrites will wonder why the current security crisis deepens and there appears to be no solution in the foreseeable future.

"We condemn very strongly, this brazen assault on decency. We call on the IG to explain the justification for this intrusion. This is not acceptable. Any expectations of rapprochement between so called federating units and federal security agencies are becoming forlorn, progressively, due to deliberate acts which mock our very avowal to ethics and professionalism.

"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.

"We call on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces to rein in the excesses of certain elements bent on acting in a manner capable of eroding the bond of trust existing between the people and the Federal Government. It is preposterous for political appointees to seek to undermine the very structure of service upon which their appointments rest."

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The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has accused the Federal Government of lacking the political will to end terrorism in Nigeria.

MBF National President, Bitrus Pogu made the remark in response to reason adduced by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, on why bandits have not been declared terrorists.

Malami had said the Federal Government was yet to declare bandits terrorist because it was adhering to international best practice.

However, Pogu, in a statement said, "as far as I am concerned, court orders are court orders and Malami has to obey it. If the court has made its declaration based on the practice of the people and their actions, they have been terrorizing people, they even shot down an aircraft, they have gone beyond the level of bandits and the court has declared them as terrorists and so it should be obeyed. And the action of Malami is an indication that there is no political will to end terrorism in Nigeria'', end of quote.

Inspiration FM recalls that Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Abuja Federal High Court, had in November 2021, declared bandits as terrorists.

Despite the court's ruling, the Buhari government is yet to take the necessary actions.

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