By HeapNews
The Lagos State Government has urged migrants coming into the state to be patient and diligent in their pursuit of better opportunities, warning that impatience often leads some into criminal activities.
Speaking at the Quarterly Meeting with the Chairman and Members of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Ikeja, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, expressed concern over the security risks associated with the rising rate of intra-migration into Lagos.
“Lagos is the only state where the rate of intra-migration is higher and unprecedented,” Salu-Hundeyin said. “Everybody believes Lagos is a state of money, that once you enter Lagos, if you can work hard, you will be rich. Unfortunately, when they come, they are not patient enough to truly make it, then they go into other very unprintable things, which is why security is our concern.”
The SSG clarified that migration into Lagos is not limited to northerners, as people from across Nigeria, including the East and neighboring Ogun State, as well as foreigners from Benin Republic and Niger Republic, also flock to the state.
“My Eastern brothers come a lot, even my Ogun State corner here, they come. So, it is not just Northerners. Even Nigeriens come in through Kano. Once they are in Kano, the next place they are eyeing is Lagos,” she said.
Highlighting the security threats posed by abandoned buildings, Salu-Hundeyin revealed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had given a directive to identify and investigate the ownership of such structures.
“Under the law, there are provisions that say if a property is abandoned for a certain period, the state has the right to take over it. We want to know because these things are constituting insecurity. They are a security risk to us,” she said.
Supporting the government’s concerns, the Chairman of the Lagos PCRC, Apostle Kehinde Showemimo, said the influx of migrants had created serious security challenges.
“Some persons from other states come to Lagos without having anywhere to stay, hence taking shelter in abandoned structures. Some even hibernate there after committing nefarious acts,” Showemimo said.
He urged the government to ensure strict enforcement of laws regulating abandoned properties to curb emerging threats, assuring that the PCRC would continue working closely with the Police to maintain public safety.