Lagos State Government has recommended the use metal detectors and
other security gadgets by religious organizations in their worship
centers as part of measures to avert any form of terrorists attack in
the state.
This came even as African Traditional Religion appealed to the state
government to declare August 20th of every year as public holiday for
traditional worshippers in the state.
Commissioner for Home affairs and Culture, Mr. Abdul-Hakeem
Abdul-Lateef who made the appeal Tuesday, during a meeting with
religious leaders in the state at the ministry, Alausa, Ikeja, urged
them to also employ professional security officers as the measure is
geared towards ensuring safety of life and security.
He said, “We would advise churches, mosques and other worship centers
in Lagos State to buy metal detectors, and to employ more security
personnel to ensure that extremists or terrorists do not have their way
in Lagos. This is because they know how to target soft spots.”
The commissioner noted that no place is declared safe unless
residents of the community are proactive and vigilant, noting “vigilance
is the key word now.”
According to him, “You must employ personnel that would be trained on
how to use the metal detector in order to ensure that no one come into
your worship center with any explosives.
Considering the status of Lagos, many have seen the state as the best
place to live. So, on your part as religious leaders, you must know the
statistics of the worshippers in your centers because insurgency is a
major challenge.
On our part, the commissioner said, “We will be creating a data base
for all religious institutions in Lagos State. The enumerating exercise
will afford us the opportunity to know the number of religious outfits
in the state and where they are.
“We would be partnering with religious associations in the state to
set standards religious house in Lagos. Partnering with the religious
association will afford us the opportunity to regulate the activities of
religious institutions so as to safeguard the welfare of people who
come to worship and not endanger it. Because without your input, without
your agreement, without partnership, there is no way things can work.
We are ready to work together; there is no dictator in democratic
government,” he added.
It will be recalled that the Department of State Service, DSS, in
recently, arraigned suspected members of the dreaded Boko Haram Sect
arrested in different parts of Lagos State and subsequently, urged
government and residents to be more vigilant on suspicious movement.
The traditional worshippers at the forum argued that public holiday
was often allotted to other religions but none had declared by the
government for traditional worshippers.
Responding, Abdul-Lateef said that the government would look into the
issues because “as a religion, you are entitled to the rights accorded
to other religions.”
Successful Hajj operation
Meantime, the state government has reiterated her commitment towards
ensuring a successful Hajj operation during the annual Hajj Pilgrimage
to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.
Abdul Lateef, stated this during a presentation of Hajj proposal to
the Ministry by the Managing Director of Hajj operation, Dr. Abdul
Lateef.
The Commissioner explained that the ministry is always open to
explore new ways of providing efficient and comfortable travel plans for
intending pilgrims, promising that necessary partnership and
collaboration with organisations that could add value to the mandate of
the ministry would always be encouraged
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