Lagos State Police Command has rounded up over 95 suspected armed robbers, kidnappers, cult members and fraudsters, recovering from them dangerous weapons. Commissioner of Police, Mr Zubairu Muazu, said: “It w as a serious battle between our officers and criminals in the state.
“I have directed DPOs, area commanders, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and Anti-Cultism Squad (ACS) to go after hoodlums. The Operation “Puff Adder” yielded good results when they clamped down on criminals terrorising and robing innocent people.
“We have embarked on community policing adopted from the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, to partner with members of the public. It has helped us by given us vital information. We have been receiving distress calls and we have been responding quickly.
“I have warned my officers to shun corruption. Anybody involved in extorting money from the public will find himself to blame. I have lectured them on how to carry their firearms and warned them intensively against illegal duty and extra-judicial killings.
“Police arrested five suspects for gang clash at Aguda. We received distress a call that a group of youths from Ijesa and Aguda areas engaged in a free-for-all at the boundary between Ijesa and Aguda and many injured. The command has launched a manhunt of the fleeing suspects.
“The command deployed surveillance team to tackle the means of traffic robbery. Some notorious traffic robbers were arrested on the Oshodi/Apapa Expressway. They were sighted at Toyota Bus Stop under Deleko Bridge. The suspects included Muiz, Olusegun and Ani. They confessed to be responsible for traffic robberies in Mushin and environs. They have stolen numerous phones and bags from different victims. Recovered from them were two knives, cutlass and N25,000.
“Police operatives arrested two suspected cult members over murder. The Ogombo Police Station received a distress call that rival cult groups had a clash of supremacy at Abraham Adesanya, Lekki Expressway and that four members of Eiye cult gang were killed by Aiye members. The suspects, Saheed and Augulere, confessed to committing the crime. One axe with bloodstain was recovered from the suspects. Four corpses were evacuated and deposited at a public mortuary for autopsy.
“Thirty-three suspects were arrested for cultism and murder when the Onipanu Police Station. They were members of rival cult groups from Alakara, Mushin and Onipanu and Shomolu. They were arrested with dangerous weapons after engaging themselves in a fierce supremacy fight at Fadeyi, Onipanu, Ikorodu Road.
“Operation Restore Sanity arrested 26 cultists around Isale-Oja, Ille-Pak at Amoo, Orile by cannal, Papa-Ashafa, Dopemu and old Oko-Oba in Agege. Also the criminal activities perpetuated by the Awawa boys have become a serious threat to residents and innocent members of the public.
“Another 64 miscreants and hoodlums including three female teenagers were arrested during an over-night raid in Oshodi. Dangerous weapons and substance suspected Indian hemp were recovered from them. They will soon be charged to court.