Magodo Estate officials resign in protest against chairman’s apology letter to Odumosu

HEDA condemns arrest of security guards

Members of the Magodo Brooks Residents Association (MABRA) in Lagos State are divided over a letter of apology written by the Chairman of the association’s Board of Trustees, Ayoola Lawson to Hakeem Odumosu, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.
 
On Saturday, the police commissioner, who was attending a social event at the estate, ordered the arrest of four security guards for their “refusal to allow” him into Brooks Estate situated in Magodo.
 
He, subsequently, ordered the arrest of one Adebola Fatiregun, a widow and her three children, for intervening in the matter.

“I, Engr Ayoola Lawson, Chairman Board of Trustees of Magodo Brooks Residential Association (MABRA) on behalf of residents, hereby tender an unreserved apologies for improper conduct of our estate security men towards you on the 1st January, 2022 at the estate gate entrance.

“The conduct of the security men is highly regretted. I hereby wish to assure you that such a misconduct will never happen again.  I thank you for your anticipated acceptance of our apologies and your assurance of settling the matter,” Lawson wrote.
 
It was gathered  that the letter by the BOT Chairman caused division within the association with its chairman dissociating himself from it.

“The BOT chairman wrote this letter on his personal grounds. He did not inform any member of the Exco on this. I as the chairman dissociate myself from this. Even though absent physically, I was and am in tune with what is on the ground. I take a honourable exit,” he wrote on the association’s WhatsApp group.

MEANWHILE,   Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has condemned the arrest of some security guards and a passer-by with three children, at Brooks Estate in Magodo, Lagos by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu.
 
HEDA’s chairman,  Suraj Olarenwaju,  in a statement , yesterday said: “On Saturday, January 1st, 2022, It was reported and admitted by the force that the Commissioner of Police was on a “Private social visit” to a friend’s function in the estate, but was not satisfied with the service rendered by the security guards.

“We are not Ignorant of those sentiments, which triggered the CP’s actions against the security guards.

“We are also not unaware that the Nigeria police would not spare anyone who tries to disobey its protocol at the entry point of its facilities or anyone who resists its security personnel at the gate. If the Publics were expected to cooperate with the police at any point in time, why would the police not respect other people’s rules?”