I wish to share to my encounter with the security guards at Ikeja City Mall on 19/02/2016 at about 0845hrs. I was on my my way home from work when I decided to enter the mall and pick up a few food items from Shoprite. On getting to the mall, I was pressed and needed to ease myself. The security guard at the mall entrance said I won't be able to do so till the mall opened by 9:00am. He also added that I can go anywhere outside the mall and take a piss if am so badly pressed. I told him I wouldn't do that and as a security guard such horrible suggestions shouldn't come from him. The ICM is housed in Alausa, the seat of Government in Lagos state and as such its wrong to defecate publicly around there and every other place. Maybe he doesn't know there's a section of Lagos state law that handles such offences. Probably he wants me picked up by Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) Officers working in the area. He apologized and asked I should wait a few minutes more.

Eventually, the mall opened and I rushed in to use the toilet before proceeding to Shoprite and once more I was stopped by a security guard at the toilet entrance. I probed to ask why he stopped me and he said that I can't use the toilet till 0930hrs and the instruction came from his supervisor. I thought maybe there was a problem with the toilets but he told me plainly that I won't be able to take a piss. At this moment, I got mad and requested for his supervisor's name and if possible lead me to his office as I wish to speak with him. He declined giving me his name and maintained his ground.

At that moment, I told him I will take the piss right there and then if he didn't allow me pass. He later allowed me in but started making side comments that I shouldn't take a piss on the floor and also not misuse the facilities. This bashing continued even as I was exiting the toilet area. I kept my cool and decided not to engage in exchange of words with him. I find this conduct very embarrassing and lowly for a place like ICM. From my experience as senior ranking security officer, I believe that floor guards ought to be trained on how to be courteous, polite and firm. They are supposed to be taught how to use their discretion and make exceptions were necessary. If the ICM is facing facility maintenance issues, the best way to approach it is not by the use of security guards to restrain legitimate shoppers from making use of the facilities. I believe there should be a better solution to the problem other than the one being executed at the moment. The maintenance and management of public spaces is not an easy task but that's not enough reason to prevent/restrict people in a rude way. If there have been cases of improper use of toilet facilities in the past, the management should brain storm and finding a lasting solution so as to stop this embarrasment.

Thank God you didn't wiwi on your body. Don't mind those security operatives, most don't know how to handle situations outside the box. All they do is to execute what Oga told them.