The Commissioner of Police for Lagos State, Tijani Olaiwola Fatai, has been trending in the public space for what may be termed wrong misrepresentation in the media by mischief makers. The controversy was sparked of by the presence of the Police Commissioner at the inauguration of City Boy Movement, a pro- President Tinubu support group in Lagos. Some political critics expressed misgivings at the presence of CP Fatai at the programme, contending that it did not present good optics.
The central argument is that CP Fatai should be seen to be neutral, considering the sensitive nature of his position as the chief law enforcement officer in Lagos State. In the trending video, the CP was seen bantering with some members of the City Boy Movement, which is led by Seyi Tinubu, the son of the President.
Expectedly, that outing has drawn flak from the opposition political parties who, rightly or wrongly, believe that Fatai`s presence at the event has compromised his oath of office to remain neutral and treat everyone, group or institution that appears before him fairly and equally. For them, Fatai’s presence at such a partisan event does not inspire public confidence.
A leading opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), issued a statement condemning the presence of the CP at the event. They stated: “We condemn in the strongest terms the appearance of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani, at a partisan event promoting a particular candidate in the upcoming general election.” They went to the ridiculous extent of asking for the suspension and sanction of CP Fatai.
The anchors of a popular national television programme also joined in crticising the CP for his appearance, contending that it had lent credence to the allegation of partisanship. Although they sounded patriotic in their presentations, however no careful observer was left in doubt as to the intended political mischief.
Defending the presence of the Police Commissioner, the National Director of Media, Monitoring and Rapid Response, Bashir Ahmad, said the “mere presence of the Commissioner of Police at a public event should not, without more, be interpreted as political endorsement, partisan participation or institutional alignment with the organizers of the event.”
According to Bashir, “Public officers, particularly those charged with maintaining law and order, regularly attend or deploy personnel to public gatherings in the discharge of their official responsibilities. Such responsibilities extend to political, civic, religious, professional, educational, and community events where security considerations require their presence or supervision.” He concluded that their attendance at such events does not constitute support for, affiliation with or endorsement of any organization or cause.
A careful examination of what transpired clearly shows that the matter was being grossly exaggerated in the media. CP Fatai did not breach his oath of office or any existing law of the land by his fleeting presence around the venue of the event. It is not out of place for the police to show up at such programmes to ensure that public peace and order are adequately maintained. There is no doubt that police presence helps to deter troublemakers and put them in check.
In the instant case, CP Fatai, in the company of his men in a routine movement, was around the venue of the inauguration of the Movement to ensure that nothing goes amiss, security wise. In the process, he exchanged greetings with known friends and left the venue. He did not attend as a participant, nor did he participate in any capacity. He only showed up to see for himself that adequate security was in place.
This is a responsibility which the CP owes to every organizer of such events, whether in government or in opposition. CP Fatai has done very well since he was appointed the 42nd Commissioner of Police in the strategic state of Lagos on March 26, this year. Available records indicated that crime has trended downward since CP Fatai assumed office, backed by high-profile arrests, tactical raids and the recent commissioning of the revamped Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU). He has also launched aggressive crackdowns, focusing heavily on cult groups, armed robbery rings, and violent black spots across local areas like Ijora and Agege As an indigene of Lagos from Agege, who grew up in the state, he has the advantage of familiarity with and deeper knowledge of the social, political and cultural terrain of the state.
The truth of the matter is that if anything goes wrong in Lagos, the CP will take responsibility as the Chief law enforcement officer of the state. He must, therefore, be on top of his game. Those castigating the CP are doing so out of partisan considerations. Within their hearts, they know they are not telling themselves the truth. These same people will tomorrow request police protection when they organize their own events. Are they saying that they can do without the presence of the police? Certainly not. Otherwise, that will be an invitation to anarchy.
There should be a limit to partisan considerations. There is no law that says a CP cannot greet his acquaintances in a public gathering. It is within his constitutional right to freedom of expression. The public hysteria and hullaballoo are totally uncalled for. Let CP Fatai be!
Chukwu, a political analyst, writes from Lagos
