By Oladeinde Olawoyin
There was mild drama Tuesday at the Ikeja Headquarters of the Lagos Police Command as two Police Commissioners resumed duty for the day.
PREMIUM TIMES understands that at the Government Reservation Area (GRA) headquarters, Edgal Imohimi, the state Police commissioner joined Kayode Egbetokun, a Deputy Commissioner who was on Monday widely reported to be the new commissioner in the state.
Mr Edgal, billed to hand over following his redeployment, resumed Tuesday and said he remained in charge, throwing reporters and others at the GRA office into confusion.
Earlier, Mr Egbetokun, billed to take over the baton after a joint news conference Tuesday, arrived at the Command ahead of Mr Edgal.
But this newspaper gathered that the handing over could not hold due to an “order from the police headquarters in Abuja”.
First, the entire drama began when the handing over event scheduled for 1:30 pm was shifted to 3pm.
The drama took a new turn when, few minutes after 3pm, there was wild jubilation in the Conference Hall where the event was scheduled to take place. Details would later emerge that the change of guard had been suspended.
Mr Edgal woud later address reporter to clarify the confusion.
“Gentlemen of the press,” he began, “are you here for the handing over and taking over? Are you here because you like me or you are eager for me to leave? Well, there is a directive that the status quo should remain till further notice.”
“I am sure that Kayode Egbetokun is an old-timer in the command. Our first job as police is order and directive; we were about concluding the handing over and taking over procedure when we were instructed by our bosses from Abuja to suspend action for now. So, there is no change of guard for now,” he said.
Mr Egbetokun, in his reaction, said: “We are government agents and we are always taking directives.”
Minutes after, Mr Egbetokun’s vehicle was replaced at the parking lot with Mr Edgal’s. The Deputy Police Commissioner, who anticipated his resumption of office, had arrived the venue with his aides.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the directive to halt the handing over ceremony came from the Force Headquaters, Abuja.