Edgal Imohimi, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, has ordered the arrest of anyone caught vandalising posters of political parties across Lagos State.
The commissioner’s order was contained in a statement signed by the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Chike Oti, sent to SaharaReporters on Saturday.
Earlier on Saturday, Jimi Agbaje, Lagos governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had posted a video on Twitter, lamenting the destruction of his campaign billboards across the state.
Early this morning our boards were vandalized and removed just as campaign commenced. Some of our deployment staff were also threatened with violence and warned to desist. pic.twitter.com/Ub7RPo6tq4
— Jimi Agbaje (@jimiagbaje) December 1, 2018
However, the Police restated its commitment to addressing the situation and has scheduled a meeting with chairmen and candidates of political parties in the state for December 5, 2018.
The statement read: “Lagos State, CP this 1st day of December, 2018, at about 0915hrs, received a complaint from the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in Lagos, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, to the effect that his campaign boards were vandalized and removed by unknown persons.
“The complainant went further to post his concern on social media alleging the vandalisation and removal of the aforementioned items.
“To this end, the CP directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti Yaba, to set up a monitoring team comprising the Command’s Riders Unit, to daily monitor and arrest anybody seen vandalising or defacing campaign posters or boards.”
The commissioner has also directed invitation to be sent to all party chairmen and their candidates for a meeting on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at the Police Officers Mess in GRA, Ikeja.
The Police PRO said it is “to further drive home the fact that there is no alternative to peace and the need for all political parties, their candidates and supporters to shun acts capable of breaching the public peace”.
