The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu has expressed dissatisfaction at the lukewarm attitude of Banks and Financial Institutions on the issue of adequate security in their various business facilities.
CP Odumosu at a meeting held on Tuesday 1st December, 2020, with Banks and Cash In Transit officials, at the conference hall of the police command, GRA, Ikeja, referred to the attack on a bullion van at Langbasa- Ajah Area of Lagos State recently, where he mentioned that there was inadequate and/or official deployment of men for such movement.
A statement from the State Police command and signed by the PPRO, SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi quotes the CP as saying that the two (2) policemen allegedly on the escort movement during that attack, were procured illegally and without the knowledge of the command. He kicked against conspiracy, security lapses and unprofessionalism suspected to have been the reasons for the attacks on bullion vans in Lagos State recently. “This kind of a movement is condemned and unacceptable in totality” He said.
The Police Boss requested that henceforth, adequate security must be provided for their facilities and movement of cash in transit after due approval for such movement by the Commissioner of Police as the police command will no longer tolerate any Hogwash security arrangement for cash in transit in the state.
Odumosu also directed that Standard Operating Procedure on Species Escort (movement of valuables) must be sustained noting that there must be minimum of two (2) operational vehicles conveying fully armed policemen escorting a bullion van which must be fully armored.
In the same vein, the CP in compliance with traffic rules, also warned them against driving on One Way and BRT corridors, he drew attention to driving of bullion vans with or without covered number plates, beating the traffic light and reckless driving on highways. Odumosu further warned that bullion vans must be roadworthy and standardized by the State Commands Transport Officer.
CP Hakeem Odumosu directed Area Commanders, DPOs and Heads of Departments to henceforth stop any bullion van on movement without due compliance with the stipulated security arrangements and traffic regulations in the state and warned the Commanding Officers of Police Mobile Force in the state to desist from deploying men to banks and financial institutions without due approval of the Commissioner of Police.
Banks were enjoined to fortify security in their facilities by installing more sophisticated CCTV cameras that have 100 day recording capacity so as to have a backup and source of evidence in police investigation of any incident within their areas of responsibility.
At the end of the meeting, a committee for the implementation of the rules and regulations of providing security to banks, financial institutions and movement of valuables (cashes) within the state was constituted.
The committee is made up of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, DCP Mohammed Ali, Officer in Charge of Bank Guards, Lagos State Command, two of the Chief Security Officers of the bankers and two representatives of the Cash In Transfer firms.
