Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has said that 2,123 policemen were sent to protect President Goodluck Jonathan during his recent visit to Lagos State.
Fashola also stated that the vast deployment of officers for Jonathan hampered the ability of the police to stop the recent bank robbery in the Lekki area of the state.
The governor stated this on Tuesday, March 17 during the 2015 Agric Value Chains Empowerment programme in the state.
“The President came to Lagos last Thursday, and while citizens were being robbed, the President was protected by 2,123 security personnel,” Fashola said.
“Let me be very clear, the President is entitled to every protection; he is our President, but the question to ask is; when you were being traumatized, where were these 2,123 men, because you are also entitled to be protected? The reason why the President gets all that protection is so that he can protect all of us,” he added.
Fashola also criticized the recent pro-Jonathan protest which was spearheaded by armed members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) on Ikorodu Road.
“Yesterday (Monday), they also showed the difference between us when the supporters of the PDP and President Jonathan came out. So, yesterday, they held their own, and instead of canvassing for your votes, they were showing you knives and cutlasses,” the governor said.
The OPC members took to the street to demand the resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega and to endorse Jonathan for re-election.