Magodo Brooks executives also accused Odumosu of ordering the arrest of a widow along with her three kids after she tried to intervene
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The Magodo Brooks Residents Association (MABRA) has given further details of how Lagos State Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), locked up the estate security guards controlling traffic into the neighborhood for delaying his convoy.
The Magodo Brooks executives, in an apology letter sent to its members over the chaos caused by the police boss’ power show, also explained that a widow who tried to find out why the estate security guards were being arrested, was also arrested together with her three children.
“The Executives of MABRA will like to apologise to all residents who were delayed in the traffic jam caused by the social visit of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, on the 1st of January, 2022 to our Estate,” the apology letter reads.
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In explaining what happened, the Magodo Brooks executives said at about 6 p.m. of January 1, Odumosu entered the Magodo Brooks Estate to attend a social event at the instance of one of its residents.
“It was quite a busy day in the Estate yesterday as many residents had ongoing social events. The Estate security operatives on duty, having not had prior knowledge of Mr. Odumosu’s visit and in a bid to assist him with directions to the house of his host, sought to ascertain the particular resident he was visiting.
“The Commissioner interpreted this act as an insult on his person and ordered the immediate arrest of all the security operatives on duty even after gaining access into the Estate to attend the party.
“A resident who happens to be a widow that was passing by with her three children was also ordered to be arrested alongside her 3 children by the Commissioner of Police. Her offence was that she tried to intervene to understand the situation.
“The Executives, represented by the Vice-Chairman and the Publicity Secretary, after being briefed of the situation, proceeded to the party to apologise on behalf of the security operatives for any disrespect caused to the Commissioner and plead for the release of the resident, her three children and the security operatives. These pleas fell on deaf ears.
“At this point, the Executives, members of the Estate Security Committee, the Estate CSO and some residents had converged at the Estate gate to plead with the Commissioner on his way out with the hope that his anger would have subsided after enjoying the party.
“To our amazement, the Commissioner came down from the car on his way out, said he was insulted by our estate and further instructed that the remaining security operatives who replaced the arrested ones should also be arrested.
“This resulted in complete shutdown of the Estate as no one could go in or come out as our Estate gate is automated and the operatives with the access token were all arrested with the token. This further resulted in the traffic jam that occurred on CMD Road for over 4hrs.
“Pleas from different angles were made to the Commissioner with no yield until about 11pm when he finally gave in. The estate was finally able to bail the security operatives who were already put in cell, the resident with her children who were put behind the counter at about 11:30pm,” the statement reads.
The Lagos police commissioner had earlier justified ordering the arrest of the estate guards for delaying his convoy at the gate of Magodo Brooks.
A statement from the Lagos State Police Command claimed that the CP did not lock down the estate as speculated on social media.
In the statement titled, ‘Brooks estate not locked down by Lagos CP’, the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, warned private security guards against disregard for police officers.
The statement reads, “CP Hakeem Odumosu who was recently promoted to the enviable rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police due to his hard work and commitment to duty, visited the public Estate yesterday, January 1, 2022 to meet a strategic partner at a function after going round, visiting some places in the state to ensure the safety of Lagosians.
“The Commissioner of Police was accompanied by his armed security details and was driven in his official car bearing an official number plate and a pennant, including all the paraphernalia of office.
“On reaching the Estate gate, he was properly introduced notwithstanding the visible security details in uniform including a dispatch rider in his convoy, yet he was prevented from entering the Estate by some overzealous private security guards.”
“The internal security arrangements of the estates and other public places nonetheless, the statutory powers of the police to have unfettered access to public places must be acknowledged and respected.
“Therefore, managements or authorities of estates in the state are advised to constantly brief their private security guards in this regard. Any restriction deliberately put in the way of the police in any of the estates will not be tolerated. Offenders will be dealt with according to the law, just as the police will not condone any form of embarrassment and recklessness,” Ajisebutu added.
