Lagos Awards Scholarships to Children of Murdered Police Officers.

The Lagos State government has announced that it will be giving scholarships to children of police officers who had died after the #ENDSARS protests turned violent.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, revealed this on Wednesday during which he visited the Lagos State Police Command in Ikeja. The meeting focused solely on ways to police the state better.

According to the Governor, “The most important requests are to offer scholarships to the children of the officers who died. I have directed the Lagos State Scholarship Board, under the Special Adviser on Education, to immediately award scholarships to the children of slain officers.”

Additionally,

Because of the destruction and continued lootings, the Governor revealed his intentions to set up a “Rebuild Lagos Trust Fund” in the state.

Not only that, “Commissioner of Police has come forward with a number of requests, which we will need to address to boost the morale of officers after the last week’s event.  As your Governor, I have come here to take full responsibility for the loss you have suffered in terms of logistics. From tomorrow (Thursday), we will start implementing these requests.”

Among the requests are;                                                                 

1. Replacing the 71 police operational vehicles that were torched.

2. Rebuilding standard police stations to replace the 29 police stations razed down.

3. Compensating family members of the 6 officers killed in the violence. And taking care of the burial arrangement of the slain officers. Also, sponsoring the hospital bills of the 36 critically injured officers.

Furthermore,

All police officers serving in the state are to get life insurance from the State Government. The Governor ordered the Secretary of the Lagos State Trust Fund to set up the modality with the police leadership in the State.

What’s more, the Governor approved the request to upgrade Police Cottage Hospital in Ikeja, directing the Commissioner for Health to inspect the facility for the required improvements.

Even though two 150KVa generators have been donated to the Police, the Governor said that the Command Headquarters would be connected to the State’s Independent Power Project (IPP) for constant power supply.

“The reform that you truly desire is starting today. The reform, which the youths had clamoured for through the EndSARS protest is taking off, and we will continue to engage the police on how to improve on what we have started. We will take up this cause with the objective to effect desired change and we will approach the high authorities for those outside our control.”

“Your uniform is not for oppression; it is a symbol of dignity and discipline. You must protect the fundamental rights of all citizens without compromising the ethics of your duty. It is only when you do this that the citizens will see that we have a Police that is truly responsible,” He said.

Related: Lessons From the End SARS Protests