Chiemelie Ezeobi chronicles the series of arrests recorded by the Lagos State Police Command in one month
Upon assumption of office as the 35th Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, on February 8, 2019, CP Zubairu Muazu, had pledged round-the-clock security. While warning criminal elements to change their ways or have the police to contend with, he had also sought the cooperation of all in the fight against crime and criminality.
Despite the rocky start he had with the irascible acts of some of his personnel, who had gone on a killing spree, Muazu has not let that deter him from staying the course in the fight against crime.
Just last week, the CP regaled crime reporters of the arrests made within one month. According to him, with the elections over, fresh security challenges are beginning to resurface in the state. Notwithstanding, he said their collective resolve in protecting the lives and properties of the people of Lagos remains unshaken.
New Strategies
On the new strategies he has put on ground he said the command has evolved in preventing and combating crimes in the state that is aimed at reassuring the people of their safety. He noted that their deployments have been targeted towards combating traffic robbery and easing the free flow of traffic across the state.
Also, he noted that their Tactical units have been repositioned for intelligence-driven approach to tackling the menace of kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and gangsterism.
On the other hand, he said the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) led by DCP Tunji Disu, which is equipped with the state of the art facilities, is more than ever ready to promptly and effectively respond to distress calls/emergencies in any part of the state.
Vision
According to Muazu, his vision is to present to Lagosians a state where everyone is safe to carryout his/her legitimate duties at all time. He added, “a state where no one is harassed or intimidated by anyone. These cannot be achieved without a more humane, professional, courageous and people friendly police officers”.
Training Programmes
To achieve this, he said they initiated training programmes to police officers in Lagos on ‘Respect and protection of human rights; Arrest procedures; Legal procedures on conducting search; Legal procedure on the use of force; and Relationship building’.
He said: “We are equally in talk with some partners to organise training for our officers and men on Emotional intelligence. Let me use this opportunity to call on the good people of Lagos State to have faith in us. Support the police to serve you better.
“We are here because of you and together we can defeat the few criminal elements in the state. For complaints against police action in Lagos State, the command can be reached through GSM No 09090003792.”
Achievements
On the achievements the command has recorded in the past few weeks he said: “Two suspects were arrested in connection with the abduction of the Director Fire Service and six others.
“On April 6, 2019 at about 2000hrs, the Director of Lagos State Fire Service Mr. Rasaki Musibau and six others were abducted at Ketu-Ereyun, Ikorodu. They regained their freedom on April 9, 2019 at about 11.45pm. Following a sustained and well-coordinated operations by the command’s Tactical Anti-Kidnapping Unit, two suspects namely; Blessing Bayo, 29 years and Smart Alfred, 32 years, all of Arogbo, Ondo State were arrested on April 10, 2019 at about 0530 hours, at Ibafun along Ikorodu- Ijebu Ode Express Way, a boundary community with Ogun.”
The CP said the duo confessed to the crime, adding that two single barrel guns were recovered from the suspects.
Also, the command also arrested the syndicate that were posing as King Sunny Ade to defraud innocent people. He said: “On the December 31, 2018, Dr. Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye aka King Sunny Ade wrote a complaint letter to the command, that some unknown person(s) opened a fake instagram account and bank accounts in his name, which they used in defrauding members of the public.
“A thorough and painstaking investigation conducted by operatives of our Criminal Intelligence Bureau led to the arrest of the following suspects: Ayoola Zainab, Oyewunmi Abiodun Ridwan, OyedokunLawrence Femi and Oyebode Rebecca and Ayoola Zainab confessed to have opened an account on the instruction of her boyfriend Oyewunmi AbiodunRidwan from whom we recovered the ATM card of the account they used in defrauding 28 innocent victims of the sum of N1,387,000.
“Oyebode Rebecca owns an account used in defrauding 33 innocent persons the sum of N1, 454,200.00. Oyedokun Lawrence Femi who is the leader of the syndicate, opened a fake instagram and email accounts, the platform where he placed an information about a non-existing King Sunny Ade USA musical tour through which 33 innocent victims were defrauded of a total sum of N2,841,200.00. Suspects were charged to court for conspiracy, impersonation and fraud.”
On the March 10, a surveillance team attached to Festac Police Station, while on patrol arrested one Olaniyi Sokunle with a locally made pistol at Alakija under the bridge. On interrogation, the suspect confessed to be a member of the traffic robbery gang. Investigation led to the arrest of two other members of the gang namely: Suleiman Musa and SadiqLawal, at Maza Maza, Mile 2.
Exhibits recovered includes; five wraps of cocaine, 43 wraps of Indian helm cannabis, large quantity of Indian helm dush, six different brands of handset suspected to have been robbed from people.
On April 12 one Rofiat Ayode of No 10 Bale street Satellite town reported at Satellite Police Station that one Chisom Obiora abducted her son, Aliamin Rofiat. Investigation led to the arrest of the suspect and the kidnapped baby was rescued unhurt.
On April 9, a Toyota Corolla saloon with reg No EKY 949 FJ belonging to one Ikechukwu Chukwudi, was snatched at Third Avenue Festac. Immediately, the report was made, a team of policemen from Festac Police Station was drafted to the scene and one Bawa Garuba was arrested with the stolen vehicle.
On April 12, one Femi Murtala was intercepted at Muwo IRA bridge by a team of policemen attached to Ojo Division with one locally made pistol and three live cartridges. He confessed to be a member of Eiye Confraternity and was on his way to attend some cult rituals at the shrine of their priests. The shrine was raided where one locally made gun and one locally made double barrel gun were recovered. The chief priest one John Nkpe was also arrested.
On April 10, Ketu Police Station while on patrol around Ketu bus-stop arrested AyomideAyobami and Taye Onofowokan , both residing at Agboyi Ketu with a handbag. During search, a locally made pistol and a jack knife with three live ammunition were recovered from them.
On April 7, following a sustained monitoring, one Kehinde Olamide popularly known as OBEKE who has been on the wanted list of Police was arrested at Iyana-Ishashi by Ojo Division. He was the alleged mastermind of the attack on Yoruba Loaders in Afolabi Ege market. His gang is notoriousfor robbery and cultism. They operate mostly alongPako Bus stop and Mile Ten area of Ojo.
On April 14, 2019, Ogombo Police station received a distress call that rival cult groups had a clash of supremacy along Abraham Adesanya, Lekki-Epe express way where four members of Eiye cult gang were killed by Aye members. Two suspected Aye confraternity members namely Saheed Lateef and Julius Augulere both of No.13 Obodo street okeira-nla, Langbasa, Ajah-Lagos were arrested in connection with the case and they confessed to committing of the crime. One axe with blood stains was recovered from the suspects.
Also, police officers attached to Dopemu Police Station, while on patrol at No. 13 Oseni street Moricas Agege, arrested four suspects namely; Yusuf Jinaidu, Samuel Timothy, Ibrahim Adetutu and Olumide Taiwo. Two cutlasses and one dagger were recovered from the suspects.
Meanwhile, on April 16, police officers attached to Department of Operation, while on patrol at Ayeteju/Baba Adisa community in Elemoro, Ibeju-Lekki, arrested a group of armed robbers/cultists, namely; Sunday Babatunde, Yusuf Adekoya and Ibrahim Adekoya, all of Alaun, Ibeju-Lekki. One locally made pistol with unexpended cartridges were recovered from the suspects.
On April 17, based on the strength of information received from a reliable source, police officers attached to Festac Division arrested one Sode Femi of 23 road Festac in his possession of 18 bottles of steam injection drugs with 17 syringes, 38 wraps of cocaine, 21 wraps of ice crack cocaine, large quantity of unwrapped Indian helm, one Dell Laptop, seven different brands of handsets suspected to be stolen.
Also the command arrested another set of armed robbery suspects and recovered arms and ammunition. The arrest was on March 19, 2019 by police officers attached to Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Igando Base. They arrested one Francis Obi and Semiu Abiodun, both resident of Imo State. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to have killed one Oboile ObinnaEfenkade in an attempt to rob him. They disclosed that they came from Imo State to operate in Lagos. Three Baretta pistols with five live ammunition and three expended ammunition were recovered.
In another vein, the command on April 21, deployed surveillance teams to tackle the menace of traffic robbery and five notorious suspects were arrested. According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, the police patrol team on surveillance along Oshodi /Apapa expressway sighted some armed bandits at Toyota bus stop, under Daleko bridge, taking advantage of the traffic congestion, robbing motorists and other unsuspecting members of the public of their valuables such as laptops, handsets and money.
Three suspects namely; Daniel Ani, Akinbode Muiz and Oluwasegun Emmanuel were arrested. They confessed to be responsible for traffic robbery along Mushin and environ. They confessed to have stolen numerous phones and bags from different victims as well as a bag containing the sum of N25,000 belonging to one Oyebanji Ibukun before they were apprehended by the Police. Two knives and cutlasses were recovered from the suspects.
In a related development, on April 19, at about 8.00pm, surveillance patrol team attached to Orile Police Station received a distress call that some traffic robbers were operating at Alafia area along Lagos Badagry Express Way. Anti robbery teams were quickly deployed to the scene. Two suspects namely; Olalekan Taoreed of No.20, Sunday street, Ijora Badia and Adeniyi Okunloye of No. 25, Alaba Road, Suru Alaba were arrested. One Samsung Duos handset stolen from one of the victims was recovered from them. One big sharp cutlass which was used in inflicting injuries on their victims, was recovered from them. The suspects confessed to be responsible for traffic robberies along Orile and environs.
Also, the PRO said the command arrested five suspects for gang clash at Aguda. He said the Aguda Police Station received a distress call that a group of youths from Ijesha and Aguda areas engaged themselves in a free for all fight at the boundary between Ijasha and Aguda.
He noted that police patrol teams from Ijesha and Aguda were promptly drafted to the scene and the situation was brought under control. The suspects were identified as Lekan Abiose, Ahmed lsiaka, Aro Rasaq, Gideon Agwu and Temileyin Odulawo.
Bala said preliminary investigation revealed that some members of the two rival groups fought in a get together party organised by one Bulky and Baba Sunday at Ijasha area, where one Ijesha youth was injured. The injured person was said to have mobilised his friends on a revenge mission to Aguda the next morning, which led to the fracas.
