Find Out The Real Reasons Why Former Ekiti Police Commissioner, Lakanu Was Redeployed

The controversy surrounding the
recent redeployment of the commissioner of police of Ekiti State, Mr. Taiwo
Lakanu, in the wake of the turbulence that greeted the impeachment notice
served the governor, Dr. Ayodele Fayose by the aggrieved 19 legislators of the
All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to abate. Fresh information from the
state capital, Ado-Ekiti revealed that the likeable police commissioner who is
also a lawyer decided to tow the professional line in the discharge of his
duties but got caught in the web of heavy politicking between the PDP
controlled state executive and the APC controlled legislature.

An authoritative source in the
police in Ekiti State revealed that the insistence of Mr. Taiwo Lakanu to do
what he is constitutionally and duty bound; which mainly is the maintenance of
law and order while ensuring the security of the lives and properties of the
people of the state placed him in a precarious situation from two opposing
political parties who view his refusal to take instructions from either parties
as unacceptable.

It is worthy of note that prior to
his posting to Ekiti State, Mr. Lakanu has over the years proved himself to be
thorough professional in the various commands he has served. Eloquent
testimonies abound to this effect. For example in Delta State where he served
as the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) before he was posted to Ekiti State
after a stint at the War College, Abuja, he was credited to be a bridge between
the other ranks and the police hierarchy. 

Known to be a dogged crime fighter
from his days at Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Lagos State where he
assisted his then immediate boss, Simeon Midenda to crush various high level
crimes in Lagos and its environs.

Sources revealed that his
redeployment from Ekiti State is now a cause of concern from prominent Obas and
Clergies in the State who attest to his meticulous ways of conflict resolution
which has led to a great reduction in crime rate in Ekiti State.

In order to save his career from
being compromised, Mr. Lakanu was alleged to have requested for redeployment
from the state. Trouble started for the Lagos-born police officer when some
online portals and blogs reported that he was redeployed from the state because
of his alleged role in the impeachment saga of Dr. Fayose when accusing fingers
were pointed at him for being the brain behind the attack on the 19 APC
legislators on their way to the legislative assembly to commence impeachment
proceedings against the governor.

He was accused of selecting
officers known to be sympathetic to Dr. Fayose to accompany the legislators to
the assembly complex before the legislators were stopped from gaining access to
the complex by a group of hoodlums said to be working for Dr. Fayose. However,
the officers defended their actions that if they hadn’t stopped the
legislators, there would have been serious blood-letting on the streets of
Ado-Ekiti. One officer who pleaded anonymity told us that the actions of Taiwo
Lakanu and his men saved the lives of the 19 APC legislators. He further stated
that Mr. Lakanu deserves commendation and praise rather than the present
attempt by some people to tarnish his image. The source revealed that the
recall by the IGP was actually to save one of its own reputed to be one of the
most intelligent police officers in the force as it was observed that the rowdy
scenario was beginning to take its toll on the health of Mr. Lakanu. The
attitude of ‘if you are not for me, you are my enemy’ which Ekiti people are
known for complicated issues to the extent that, both the Governor and
opposition now regard the one-time Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to former IGP,
Mr. Tafa Balogun as an enemy because of his neutrality.

A lot of people including his
friends are happy that he left the volatile state with his integrity intact
unlike some officers who were removed due to complaints and avoidable
controversies.

Prior to his appointment as a
commissioner of police, he has held several positions where he performed
creditably well which made his choice as a commissioner inevitable but unfortunately
the political situation in Ekiti, state has robbed the people of Ekiti State of
a fine officer who put his all into his duties in order to give Ekiti people a
new lease of life and the society to be crime-free.