By FLORENCE ONUEGBU

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday awarded scholarships to the children of policemen killed during the violence that trailed the EndSARS protest.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced this during his visit to the Lagos Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, on to interact with Police personnel on ways to police the state better.

“The most important requests is to offer scholarships to the children of officers who died.

“I have directed the Lagos State Scholarship Board, under the Special Adviser on Education, to immediately award scholarships to the children of the slain officers,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He also said that the state government will set up a “Rebuild Lagos Trust Fund” in the aftermath of the destruction in the state.

Sanwo-Olu said the the reform of the Police Force, as demanded by the EndSARS protesters, has started.

He also promised that the government will compensate the families of the killed Policemen, take care of their burial expenses, and foot the hospital bills of injured officers.

Sanwo-Olu said all damaged personal and official vehicles of Police officers will be replaced, and insurance policies for Police officers in Lagos worked out.

He acknowledged and thanked the police personnel for their support, and the women police officers for their dedication to service to the people of Lagos.

“You have not been truly acknowledged but I want to thank you. You have been gallant. You have shown how critical you are in our society. We might come from different background but we are all humans created by God.

“The Lagos State Police Command has been a delight in spite of our differences and inadequacies. You did not create the problems, these are institutional problems. As your governor, I acknowledge what you do and what you stand for.

“As your governor, I take full responsibility for what happened and has not happened. I will not shy away from it,” he said.

To those he said were fomenting trouble with social media, the governor told them to desist. “We will not join issues with anybody. We are moving forward. We will heal our lands and Lagos will be better for it,” he said.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, commended Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s administration and appealed to the governor to further provide the command with security equipment.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Southwest, Leye Oyebade, said that there was the need to go back to the drawing board, saying the way forward is to re-address the method of policing in the country, by embracing community and digital policing. (NAN)

•PHOTO: R-L: Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Hakeem Odumosu; Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, interacting with other police officers during his visit to the Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020.