The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State command, AIG Hakeem Olusegun Odumosu has received the newly posted Army Commander of 9th Brigade Command, Maryland, Brig. Gen. AS Wase and his outgoing counterpart, Brig. Gen. MLD Saraso who came on a familiarization visit.
The familiarization visit which took in the Command Headquarters Conference Hall, Ikeja had in attendance the Deputy Commissioner In Charge of Operations, DCP Ahmed Kontagora, Deputy Commissioner In Charge of Finance and Administration, DCP Bassey Ewah, Deputy Commissioner In Charge of SCIP- Panti, DCP Adegoke Fayoade, ACP Olajide Agboola, the Police Command PRO, CSP Ajisebutu Adekunle, and ACP Olukemi Tijani. On the Army end, the entourage included Major AK Bello, Major T. Emirin, Major Etimi, Lt. Pam and Warrant Officer Tanimu. Also present is a Board Member of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Ayo Ogunsan.
Paying glowing tribute to the harmonious relationship that existed between him and the outgoing Army Commander, Brig. Gen. MLD Saraso who is moving to Asaba, Delta state, AIG Odumosu stated: ‘We should all give thanks to the Lord Almighty for making us to be friend beyond the official relationship. I believe in interpersonal relationship than official because official relationship goes through official procedure and it takes a longer time. And in security, every second matters. In operations, every second matters. That is why we all believe in the Army and in the Police that response time matters. Something might go out of hand if we are going through official procedure. That is why I believe in interpersonal relationship, no matter how tight my assignment is, once is military, I have to forgo others to make sure I am there.’
Speaking further on Brig. Gen. Saraso who he regarded as ‘my bosom friend and co-traveler in making Lagos secured’ in the visit covered by Members of the National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP, AIG Odumosu said: ‘i want to put it on record that since you assume office, MLD Saraso, there has never been clash between the military and the police.
Whoever gets the information first will usually tell the other to come on board. There is never a case of military detaining police or police detaining military except those officers who got themselves involved in criminal activities.’
‘You are leaving 9th Brigade, you are not leaving Army, you are not leaving Police, you are not leaving Odumosu. God Almighty will go ahead of you in Asaba and work with you. He will keep the homefront for you. As you leave Lagos, don’t forget Lagos.’
Addressing the new Brigade Commander, Brig Gen, AIG Odumosu shared: ‘You are most welcome to Lagos State Police Command. Lagos is the economic nerve centre of the country. Anything that happens in Lagos, the whole country have a feeling of it. 80% of flight from Abuja on Thursday, Friday is going to Lagos likewise on Monday, the opposite happens to Abuja. So everybody is interested in Lagos.’
‘Nothing succeeds without security. So we need to keep Lagos safe and I want you to build on that. It is true that I am leaving the service when I attain 60 years on 25th of this month. I am leaving service but I am not out of service. Anything that is needed in Lagos, don’t hesitate to call me outside of office.’
In the same vein, the Brig. Gen. MLD Saraso praised AIG Odumosu, ‘I want to show appreciation to AIG Odumosu for the tremendous support, co-operation that he has given me during the time as the Commander of 9th Brigade. The co-operation I enjoyed transcended beyond official level. He is somebody that I could at anytime pick my phone to call or send him text to report something that comes to my knowledge about happening in Lagos that could contribute to maintenance of law and order and where necessary, asking him of where we can come to provide support so that we can plan ahead. He has done that so much for us. It makes things much easier.’
‘We have not had any major incidence of breakdown of law and order in Lagos to God be the glory and to his credence and that of other stakeholders for the period I worked with him. This is due largely to the interpersonal relationship that we maintained. I thank the CP and his team as well as other critical stakeholders with whom I have had the privilege to serve’, says the fine Army officer who took charge of the 9th Brigade Command, Maryland, Lagos in April last year.
In his response, the new Army Commander, Brig. Gen. Wase said: ‘Having seen the working relationship between my predecessor and the Lagos Police Boss, I will like to request that the same cooperation is given to me. Where I can upgrade it, I will do so. I will like to say happy retirement to AIG Odumosu as he bows out of service.’
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