Insecurity: Lagos delivers new station to Marine Police in Epe

The Lagos state government has handed over the newly built Marine Police Station to the Nigeria Police Force, in Epe.

The aim is to improve security and institutionalise the capacity of government agencies in the state.

At the ceremony, Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola (represented by Permanent Secretary, Ayodele Somide), said the handing over was significant to enable the state government to complete projects in the area.

“Taking into cognisance the security implications, a new marine police post had to be built to accommodate the police officers,” he said.

This, he said, is the only outstanding challenge to the full completion of the Rehabilitation/Upgrading of Strategic Arterial/Inner Roads (Phase II) in Epe Local Council, which is currently at 95.5 per cent completion

Also, Fady Bourjely, the representative of Cranberg Construction Limited, the contractor, said the handing over will facilitate early completion of the road project.

He said: “What is holding us back now is for the officers to shift to the new building, so that we can continue as fast as possible. We should be looking at August for the completion.”

On his part, the Divisional Marine Police Officer in Epe, Superintendent of Police (SP) Richard Ekemerusu, said: “One thing about the structure is that even though it is close to the river, water can never wash it away. There are boulders, which are big rocks arranged around the structure, preventing erosion.

“The former structure we were using was an old type that did not befit the status of the Nigeria Police. But the current one is very beautiful. It will help us to perform our duties well.

“There are a lot of things there. You have security cameras. From inside, the personnel can see far away, and criminals can be sighted.