LASEMA Boss Warns against Attack on Emergency Workers, Equipment

 

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Wednesday warned miscreants who are in the habit of attacking emergency responders and destroying government vehicles and equipment acquired with tax payers’ money to desist from such heinous act.

The General Manager of LASEMA, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, made this call in Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, yesterday following the recent attacks on his operatives around Obanikoro, Ikorodu Road and Ejigbo, where officials of the agency were badly brutalised and vehicles damaged.

In a statement issued by Adebayo Kehinde of the LASEMA Public Affairs Unit, the general manager said henceforth, perpetrators of such dastardly act would be fished out and prosecuted appropriately.

He revealed that such act was mostly perpetrated by some unscrupulous elements, who do not have any role to play at the scene of incidents, rather, would create pandemonium thereby impeding the smooth operation of the emergency officers, putting their lives at risk of attack during the operation.

According to him, “Emergency workers should be seen as friends coming to help  people in distress as well as salvage properties during emergency situations such as road traffic accidents, fire outbreaks among other incident.

"As such, they should be allowed to carry out their assigned duties without any hindrance to avoid unnecessary loss of lives and property."

The general manager noted that the present administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has invested heavily in all emergency/security operatives towards prompt and adequate intervention to all emergency incidents in the state.

He further stressed that tentacles of the agency have been decentralised from the command and control centre in Alausa, Ikeja, to other parts of the state, which include Lekki by Admiralty Way; Onipanu on Ikorodu Road, and Cappa Dispatch Centre, Oshodi, and all well equipped with various rescue equipment and recovery vehicles.

While expressing satisfaction with Lagosians who patronise the emergency toll-free line, 112/767, he however stressed the need to ensure they call the emergency numbers immediately and not to resolve to self-help before calling the numbers.

Tiamiyu also urged them to give precise locations with the nearest landmark of any incident scene.

He further advised motorists, especially commercial bus drivers, to always ensure they give right of way to all emergency vehicles blaring siren or heading towards emergency scenes.