Hakeem Odumosu, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, is long known for his reputation of serving with dignity. He is one of the best officers when it comes to police operations around the country. And his discipline and humility are impressive. These, of course, make him the poster boy, the advertisement for the type of police force Nigeria needs and Nigerians can feel confident in and trust.
He has been one of the few police officers in the country that offer the youth and emerging officers, across the nation, a great model, inspiration, and a bedrock commitment to the nation. The futuristic and farsightedness of Odumosu’s stewardship as the commissioner of Lagos State Police Command is helping Lagos to become more secure and live up to its status as Nigeria’s business and investment beachhead, boasting of a majestic future.
A needle-threader extraordinaire who is aware of the police being the iconic operational face of the rule of law, Hakeem leads from the front to make Lagos state security system work for the people. This explains why Lagos police were easily re-mobilized to continue their duties of law enforcement and protection of trouble spots in the aftermath of the recent EndSARS protests.
On Thursday, December 3, 2020, Odumosu presented the report of the activities of his command to the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwool at the 14th Annual Town Hall Meeting on Security. The event was held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, with many dignitaries in attendance. These included the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Security Trust Funds ( LSSTF) Dr. AbdulRazaq Balogun and the AIG Zone II Nigeria Police-Alhaji…..
CP Odumosu, in his extensive report, said his men rose to the occasion of effectively combating crimes in Lagos because of constant logistics supplies from the State Government. He told the gathering that despite the trauma the police personnel went through during the EndSARS protests, the Command was able to promptly re-mobilize officers to guard troubled communities where police stations had been burnt and destroyed. Giving the breakdown of crimes recorded in Lagos from October 2019 to last September, Odumosu said the Command foiled 273 cases of armed robbery, arresting 1,181 robbers in operations. He said 27 robbers were killed in the encounter during the period. He added that the State recorded a sharp decline in kidnapping in the past year, an effort he linked to improved intelligence-driven operations. He, however, said cases of
cultism and drug abuse were on the rise, promising to beam focus to the issues.
Receiving the report of security activities across the State in the last 12 months from CP Odumosu, Governor Sanwoolu expressed his delight at the downward trend observed in sophisticated crimes, such as kidnapping and armed robbery, in the last one year.
“We must sustain the steady progress Lagos has recorded insecurity of lives and businesses. The issue of security is a shared mission. The more we are able to engage the citizens, the better we will become at nipping crimes in the bud. Our Government will continue to proactively engage all stakeholders as part of the ongoing exercise to address all security concerns.” The governor affirmed.
Sanwoolu is impressed with Odumosu’s performance. He is happy that the CP’s administrative capacity and operational competence for adequate policing are strong enough to cater to the security needs of Lagos state. No wonder his boutique of achievements.
But why and how was Odumosu able to achieve all these? His leadership style and communication strategy play crucial roles here. Back in his days at the Lagos State Task Force, Hakeem has demonstrated motivational leadership that gives hope to men and officers under him, boosting then morale to put in their best.
His biggest characteristics as a policeman are accountability, capacity for compassion, and logical reasoning as part of corporate governance within the force, he also understands the honors that come with the fruits of investing one’s time and effort at protecting and securing the human being, and understanding of the fact that law and order issues impact government processes, business operations and community activities throughout the country.
Odumosu is a leader, rather than a boss. He is so passionate about accountability, process, and procedure. That is why he is doing everything possible to ensure that Area commanders and DPOs and their staff perform as committed and honest public servants. If you take responsibility for your own actions, you show accountability and leadership in service delivery, creating the best possible opportunity to build public trust and deliver services efficiently. A government is accountable for decisions and laws affecting its citizens; while an individual is accountable for their acts and behaviors. Thus he leads from the front and maintains a hands-on approach to policy execution. CP Odumosu was posted to Lagos Police Command in November 2019. About a week into his redeployment, he made known his intention about making efficient traffic management a top priority. To realize the objective, he deployed over 1,000 policemen to join in tackling the gridlock that had made commuting unbearable in the state. The move has a two-pronged objective. Motorists in prolonged gridlock often become sitting ducks for armed criminals who are always lurking in the neighborhood. Valuables are routinely lost to the thieves who smash windows and, sometimes, bones in their heinous crime almost unhindered.
Then Odumosu mobilized his men for the task ahead. He convened a meeting of heads of all the critical units and departments in his command. In attendance were Deputy Commissioners of Police, Department of Finance and Administration, Department of Operations, Criminal Investigation Department, and Rapid Response Squad. Also in attendance were Area F Commanders, Area Operations Officers, State Traffic Officers, Divisional Traffic Officers as well as the chairman, Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, among others.
He introduced an innovative approach to the schedule of service personnel manning the roads. Rather than policemen leaving motorists to their fate at the peak of the crippling traffic having completed their beat, Odumosu reviewed the time schedule of traffic wardens to run between 10am and 10pm, while the second shift would run from 10pm to 10am to provide 24 hours coverage.
At that time, the then Lagos police spokesman DSP Bala Elkana, gave motorists assurance of safety, saying its men would all operate in their usual reflective jackets. The then PPRO said the measure would help in ensuring the free flow of traffic and would also curb the menace of traffic robbery.
An officer with the recognition of the three pillars upon which policing is built: peace and security, development, and human rights, CP Odumosu doesn’t joke with these. In the same way, he doesn’t joke about discipline issues within his command. No wonder he doesn’t fail to address human rights grievances that get to his desk, having upheld the conviction that respect for human rights is essential to crime prevention, the prevention of conflict, and the promotion of human development.
In November Odumosu introduced some innovations to further make the streets of Lagos very hot for criminals. These came up over the attack on a bullion van at Langbasa-Ajah area of Lagos State recently, where there was no adequate and/or official deployment of men for such movement. CP Odumosu was reported to have addressed police officers, over the incident, at the police command in Ikeja, where he frowned at the lackadaisical attitudes of banks and financial institutions to secure their facilities and cash in transit. There, he asked banks to fortify security in their facilities by installing more sophisticated CCTV cameras that have 100-day recording capacity so as to have a backup and source of evidence in the police investigation of any incident within their areas of responsibility.
According to a statement by Lagos State police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi, “The two policemen allegedly on the escort movement were procured illegally and without the knowledge of the command. This kind of movement is condemned and unacceptable in totality.
According to the Lagos PPRO “The police boss also directed that Standard Operating Procedure on Species Escort (movement of valuables) must be sustained; noting that there must be minimum of two operational vehicles conveying fully armed policemen escorting a bullion van which must be fully armoured.
“Similarly, in compliance with traffic rules, the Commissioner of Police strongly warned them against driving on One Way and BRT corridors, driving of bullion vans without or with covered number plates, breaking of traffic light and reckless driving on highways.
“CP Hakeem Odumosu then ordered Area Commanders, DPOs, and Heads of Departments to henceforth stop and contravene any bullion van on movement without due compliance with the stipulated security arrangements and traffic regulations in the state.
“He also warned the Commanding Officers of Police Mobile Force in the state to desist from deploying men to banks and financial institutions without due approval of the Commissioner of Police.
At the end of that meeting, he formed a committee for the implementation of the rules and regulations of providing security to banks, financial institutions, and the movement of valuables (amounts of cash) within the state. The committee comprises the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, DCP Mohammed Ali, Officer in Charge of Bank Guards, Lagos State Command, two of the Chief Security Officers of the bankers, and two representatives of the Cash In Transfer firms
Opinions indicate that CP Odumosu is doing well, but some say he needs to do more on community policing and communication with the CDAs and CDCs. They say this will create long term preventive measures that are needed to fully eliminate some crimes, including the menace of urban cultism in Lagos state.
“Strengthening the system is the means to this end while the question remains can the people at the grassroots stay the course.” Says Squadron Leader Soji Oni, a retired Air Force officer. He observed that there is a lot of indifference and apathy among members of the public to security issues.
“Many people will agree that a lot of people are becoming their own worst enemies because they feel unconcerned with the security of their areas. They put everything on the police’s head. If a robbery occurs, they want police to fish out the robbers. If somebody is killed here, they all want police to find out the killer within a few hours, yet they are not doing their own bits. Do they think the police are spirits?
Apart from those supporting the police through the PCRC, many other people quietly look away on matters of security. Are cult boys not living in communities where people know some of them? What effort steps have landlords and neighbors taken to give police intelligorming the mindset to see and do things differently. We should develop great minds of people who can challenge the wrongs and disorderly conduct and create a solution path.”
It is an uphill battle, but it is not a dilemma experienced in Nigeria only. In many instances, the societies that have made headway in achieving peaceful, progressive, and harmonious existence are those that have strong and effective policing and a sound, fair justice system, and where citizens are bold enough to watch their neighborhood, and inform the police if they notice any unusual movement or strange faces in order to prevent crimes.”
Benson Edokpae, a researcher with Nexitier and security expert, is of the opinion that CP Odumosu’s performance can be rated as well above average, but added that serious efforts should be rolled out to achieve community policing security across Lagos state.
“I think CP Odumosu has achieved some remarkable things, Don’t forget, he was posted to Lagos when the security situation of the state was nothing to write home about.”
“He has done well since his arrival as CP Lagos state early this year. The state was in a security dilemma at that time. Now, he has made the streets of Lagos metropolis particularly hot for criminals of all sorts. He is also tackling the issue of urban cultism. He is aware if we don’t kick out crimes, investors will not come.”
Both administratively and strategically, Odumosu remains a fascinating role model for emerging youth as a true “leader and friend of all and an enemy of none, except criminals.
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