In its renewed efforts to rid the state of criminal elements, the police in Lagos have mounted an enhanced surveillance on blackspots with the aggressive mopup of criminal elements yielding desirable results as over 100 suspects have so far been arrested.
The Point learnt that, for now, most of the areas initially marked as potentially dangerous spots have been fully liberated from the menace of hoodlums, with a view to creating
a crime-free environment. Reports have it that, following the preemptive and proactive action of the police in the state, residents and holiday makers can now enjoy a crime-free Christmas and New Year celebrations and even beyond.
Investigation by The Point revealed that all the police area commanders in the state had been directed by the force’s high command to demonstrate their resolve to fight crime to a standstill and ensure that Lagosians could sleep with their two eyes closed.
A source at the Lagos Police Command Headquarters, Oba Akinjobi Road, Ikeja, disclosed that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, had given a matching order to all area commanders, divisional police officers and heads of other specialised units involved in crime management to explore intelligence-led policing/community policing to ensure a crime free environment.
They either vacate the state now or face the full wrath of the law. In Lagos State, there is no hiding place for criminals.
The directive also advised them to depend very much on intelligence-led policing to pursue criminals and raid their enclaves as a measure of the renewed drive aimed at bringing the desired secure atmosphere to all residents of the state.
The new directive was said to have been given by Owoseni two weeks ago, during one of his joint weekly meetings with some carefully chosen police officers. According to the source, the keypoints of the closed-door meeting had already started to pay off as over 100 suspected criminals were said to have been hauled into police net across the state.
Some of the suspects were said to have been arrested by the men and officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, who have lately laid siege to some banks from where “cash in the air” robbers operating on motorcycles, were caught in the act.
”We have in our custody no fewer than 25 criminal elements that usually waylaid at gun-point those who made cash withdrawals from ATM”, a source at the SCID told our correspondent. Other suspects were said to have been arrested in areas “very close to
some commercial banks” within the metropolis.
The well-coordinated raids by the police were also extended to hemp joints, motor-parks, restaurants, drinking joints and other spots across the state. It was further learnt that officers drawn from the Criminal Intelligence Bureau actively took part in the clamp down on black spots and suspected criminals in the state.
“Both men of the SARS and the SCIB have been drafted to those areas considered potentially dangerous. The areas include border posts, public buildings, suspected Indian hemp joints, gambling houses, places of worship, the beaches, markets, cinema houses and others. The overall goal is to provide the necessary security for the entire citizenry,” a police source said.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the development, saying that the directive was already yielding the desired results. Badmos, a superintendent of police, said, “It is paying off with positive and laudable achievements. Massive arrests and recovery of arms were lately made. The police in the state are not interested in investigating a crime that had been committed. Rather, we want to nip such crimes in the bud before they are committed”.
The Lagos police spokesperson warned that there would be no respite for criminals throughout the state. “We do not have any place for criminal elements in the state. Therefore, the commissioner has given them options, either to quit the state now or repent. They either vacate the state now or face the full wrath of the law. In Lagos
State, there is no hiding place for criminals. No matter their status in the society, the long arm of the law will catch up with them,” Badmos said.
