2,123 policemen protected Jonathan while robbers raided bank – Fashola

THE Lagos State Governor,
Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday said
2, 123 policemen that would have
helped to repel the Thursday bank
robbery in the state were sent to
protect President Goodluck
Jonathan when he visited Lagos.
Fashola, who said this at the 2015
Agric Value Chains Empowerment
programme, lamented that the
President’s visit to the state
paralysed the state security
apparatus so much that it could not
foil the robbery.
He said nearly all the vehicles
bought by the state government
for the police to be able to respond
rapidly to crimes were on the alert
for the President.
Fashola said, “The President came
to Lagos last Thursday, and 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
is our President, but the question
to ask is; when you were being
traumatised, 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 worried by
the reports of violence and
harassment of innocent citizens on
Monday during a protest by
members of the Oodua People’s
Congress and loyalists of the
Peoples Democratic Party.
“Yesterday (Monday), they also
showed the difference between us
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,
and instead of canvassing for your
votes, they were showing you
knives and cutlasses.”
About 3,529 beneficiaries of the
empowerment programme, were
given farm inputs, including fish
feeds, eggs, cattles, and fertilisers,
among others.
Commissioner for Agriculture and
Cooperatives, Gbolahan Lawal, said
the programme had resulted in
significant reduction in poverty.
“For some beneficiaries, it was a lift
of a lifetime.
“During the exercise in 2014, 3,149
households benefited.
“Those who were not fortunate
today will have to register for the
next exercise,” Lawal said.