Lagos Task Force arrests 62 miscrants, arraigns18 street traders
The operatives of the Lagos State Task Force during an over-night raid operation, over the weekend nabbed another 62 miscreants and hoodlums within Oshodi and its environ.
The Chairman of Agency, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi who briefed Journalists on the arrest on Sunday at the TaskForce Office in Oshodi said that the mid-night raid operations was part of on-going efforts aimed at flushing out miscreants and other criminal elements from Oshodi and the State at large.
The Chairman disclosed furher that the Agency acted on the directives of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Imohimi Edgal who had expressed concern over the spate of criminal activities in some parts of the State, especially around Oshodi, Mushin, Fadeyi, Agege, Apapa, Lagos Island, Obalende, Oyingbo, Dopemu amongst others.
Although no weapon was found on the arrested suspects, the Task Force Boss that there were strong indications that they are part of the criminals who had been terrorising the entire area particularly those attacking motorists on top Oshodi bridge during peak hours.
He said, “We got to the area as early as 2am, it was an eye-sore to have found these miscreants and hoodlums under the bridge at Oshodi in such odd hours walking aimlessly while some were also caught smoking Indian hemp popularly called ‘Marijuana’.
“Yes many of these arrested miscreants have different tattoos on their arms indicating they belong to a particular sect or cult. While many are chain smokers others robbed residents and pedestrians of their valuables such as phones,wallets and jewelleries both early morning and late night.”
The Chairman stated that the arrested miscreants had been screened and the under-age ones referred to the juvenile homes for rehabilitation, adding that most of the ‘young miscreant’ who are between 12 to 17 years are products of broken homes.
While appealing to parents to always consider their children at the ‘receiving end’ in any family disputes, he however confirmed that all those arrested had been charged to court on the directive of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.
One of the arrested miscreant Gani Yusuf, 35years old said he paid N100 everyday to their ring leader before he could be given a little space to sleep under the Oshodi bridge.
Meanwhile, 18 arrested Street traders around ‘Trade Fair’ complex who were initially released based on a written ‘under-taken’ with the Agency not to go back to be selling at an unauthorised places around the ‘Trade Fair’ complex have been re-arrested and charged to court.
According to Egbeyemi, “ These 18 arrested Street trader after their released by the Agency went back to be displaying and selling their wares at same illegal spots around the ‘Trade Fair’ complex.
“After their arraignment at the court, 5 of them were asked to pay a fine of N5000 each to the government while the remaining 13 females were committed to ’48 hours Community Service’ each as a punishment by the court.”
CSP Egbeyemi further stated that after the completions of all the on-going projects by the government around Oshodi and other areas, there would no longer be any hideouts for criminals to unleash terror on innocent members of the public again.
