• Lagos governor goofs appointing alleged renegade to head state agency
A dark pall of sleaze and disgrace hangs eerily above Governor Akinwumi Ambode’s fluorishing government. If great care is not taken by the incumbent Lagos governor, he would carelessly undo his Spartan achievements and bring to disrepute his so-called ‘no-nonsense’ government. Findings revealed that the Lagos governor recently appointed a fugitive to head the Lagos State Safety Commission. The appointee, Hakeem Dickson, is allegedly a fugitive in the United States (U.S.) where he was reportedly convicted for credit card fraud in 1992.
Hakeem Dickson, who worked as an internal auditor at the now defunct Nigeria Airways, was reportedly sentenced to 24 months imprisonment by a U.S. District Court in New Jersey, according to court documents published by Sahara Reporters.
“For 20 years, the Defendant successfully evaded all United States government efforts to locate and arrest him,” read the judgment delivered by Judge Dickinson Debevoise.
“He has not served the 24 months sentence lawfully imposed upon him in June 1992.”
The Lagos State Safety Commission is an agency saddled with the responsibility of safety regulations and enforcement in the State.
Habib Aruna, Governor Ambode’s spokesperson, said he did not author the government’s statement and was not aware of Dickson’s conviction.
“I didn’t sign the statement, it was the HOS (Head of Service). Call them or the commissioner and let them respond,” Aruna told PREMIUM TIMES.
Phone calls and text message to Steve Ayorinde, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, were unanswered as at press time.
