The last may not have been heard on the face-off between the
Nigerian Police and the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA)
over the latter’s removal of illegal posters on the streets of Lagos as the
agency has vowed that it would not relent in its bid to rid the metropolis of
illegal posters.
While reacting to the warning of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Cornelius
Aderanti, to desist from removing the
campaign posters and billboards of political parties in the state, the Managing
Director of the agency, Mr. George Noah, stated that the agency would continue
with its lawful business of removing illegally pasted posters within the
metropolis, insisting that its
activities had been non-selective as it had removed posters irrespective of
politicians and political party involved.
Noah stated that it would not relent in carrying out its
statutory responsibility of removing election campaign materials
indiscriminately placed at unauthorized places in the state.
According the LASAA boss, the removal of posters that deface
the environment is a statutory obligation of LASAA, adding that it will be
unlawful for the police to arrest any LASAA staff for carrying out their lawful
duty.
Noah said the agency had published guidelines for deploying
electoral materials in four national dailies in addition to a town hall meeting
it convened with all the political parties where the guidelines were presented
to them.
‘Let me state clearly that the removal of posters that
deface our environment is a statutory obligation of LASAA. The agency is
therefore baffled that the Nigeria police responsible for enforcing the laws of
this nation is by the statement encouraging and expressly supporting the
flagrant disregard and contravention of environmental guidelines issued to all
political parties,’ he stated.
Describing the police action as an attempt to intimidate
staff of the agency, the LASAA boss noted that election materials not properly
deployed or that which violates the agency’s guidelines will be removed
regardless of the threat.
He expressed dismay at the utterance of the CP, despite
earlier discussion he had with him on the issue. According to him, it appears
the CP is hell bent on taking side with one of the parties in a bid to ensure
that laws are flouted to achieve their objectives
Noah, however, urged politicians to be more creative in the
way they go about creating awareness, adding that over 100,000 political
posters are illegally deployed in the state on a daily basis and their removal
had been based on fairness
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