Police restores Lagos Speaker’s security details after Obasa’s forceful Assembly entry

By KEMI KASUMU

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh, says the Command has restored the security details of Mojisola Meranda, the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Jimoh said Meranda’s security detail was initially withdrawn for audit purposes.

It would be recalled that an aide to the Lagos Assembly Speaker had earlier confirmed that Meranda’s security details were withdrawn thereby subjecting her to high security risks at a time security details of embattled former speaker, Mudashiru Ajaiyi Obasa, were restored.

The development fuelled speculations that it was of done political games about to play between Abuja and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on one hand and Abuja and Lagos State indigenes on the other.

With her security withdrawn, it was speculated that Meranda, an indigene and first female speaker of the state Assembly, was the target a d in no distant time, it happened.

Shortly after, Mudashiru Obasa, the impeached speaker, rode into the assembly complex with a retinue of security aides in tow.

Addressing journalists at the Assembly Complex, Obasa said he had resumed his position as the parliament’s Speaker, insisting that his removal did not follow due process.

The impeached speaker presided over a “plenary session” with only four lawmakers in attendance.

There are 40 members in the state Assembly, but the majority refused to participate in the session despite being present at the Assembly Complex.

Some concerned Lagos youths had warned that it would not be funny should anything untoward happened to their princess while being exposed to security risks are the time its security aides were withdrawn.

But CP Jimoh, who confirmed the restoration of the guards, said the withdrawal was for audit of the security personnel attached to some individuals and facilities, saying it was to ensure that the police officers and their weapons are accounted for.

He added that other states of the federation are also undertaking audits of police personnel.

Jimoh said the withdrawal of the security detail of Meranda was not done for any other consideration aside from public interest, a statement that many say does not add up considering the circumstances surrounding the action and the charades performed by Obasa just shortly after.

“The ongoing police personnel audit is done in the public interest and not with any consideration except for the safety of everyone in the state,” the Lagos police commissioner said.

“As we speak, the audit of the police personnel of honourable Mojisola Meranda has been completed, and the four armed police personnel attached from the Lagos police command have been returned to her for protection.

“It is pertinent to state that the police personnel audit has been ongoing for several days now, and prominent personalities have been complying with it.”

The Lagos legislature has been embroiled in crisis since Obasa was removed as speaker on January 13.

Meranda was swiftly voted in to replace him — becoming the first female speaker of the Lagos legislature.

On February 17, the house passed a vote of confidence in Meranda who subsequently adjourned plenary indefinitely, as rumours swirled that pressure was mounting on her to resign.

Obasa has repeatedly challenged the process that culminated in his impeachment, arguing that due procedure was not followed and insisting that he remains the legitimate speaker of the house.