Lagos: Police arrest 889 cultists, armed robbery suspects in 8 months
Joy Joseph, Lagos
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, has said that 889 persons were arrested for armed robbery and cultism between January and August, 2021.
Odumosu stated this on Thursday at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja, while hosting the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police, in charge of the Zone 2 Police Command, AIG Johnson Kokumo, who was on a familiarisation visit to the Lagos state police command.
He added that 173 assorted arms, 239 ammunition of various calibres, were also recovered from the suspects.
Giving a breakdown of figures, the police boss said that 490 suspected armed robbers and 297 suspected cultists were arrested at different parts of the state during the period, stressing that no personnel of the command was killed within the same time.
He said: “Forty-two cars stolen by criminals were recovered within a few days of theft and were subsequently handed over to their owners.”
Speaking further, Odumosu said the command was embarking on the construction of 50-bed space accommodation to house some junior officers of the command, stressing that they got resources from law-abiding and willing individuals, associations and stakeholders for the project.
“The project became necessary in view of the accommodation problem faced by personnel. Any police personnel posted to Lagos command henceforth, will have a place to stay,” he stated.
AIG Johnson Kokumo, who commended the CP, officers and men of the command for reducing crimes in the state, urged them to do more.
Kokumo, however expressed his worry over the traffic situation in Lagos, calling on the CP and his men to rise to carry out “Operation keep the traffic moving”, stressing that traffic was also responsible for some robbery incidents in the state.
“Officers and men must rise early to check traffic build-up in their respective areas. Ogun and Lagos will have a joint patrol to tackle the robbery situation at their border towns, particularly, on the long bridge of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway,” he noted.
The AIG also urged officers and men in Lagos to observe human rights and professionalism in their conducts.
He warned them against corruption, indiscipline, as he commended the Lagos state government for providing logistics, and urged them to do more.
He also commended the Lagos state police for the 50-bedroom project for junior officers, and promised to let the IGP know the other needs of the command.
