Deborah Akpede
The Police Command in Lagos State on Monday, said it has apprehended 147 suspects during a coordinated security operation in the Ilepo/Super area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the Lagos State Taskforce Office in Oshodi.
Adebisi said the operation, code-named Operation ‘Kosaye’ (No Chance for Criminality) Phase three, was carried out in the early hours of Sunday, following persistent complaints from residents about the activities of suspected hoodlums in the area.
She said the intelligence-led exercise involved personnel of the Lagos State Police Command, Lagos State Taskforce, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Eko Strike Force, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Protection Unit (SPU) among other tactical teams.
The PPRO said that the operation targeted criminal hideouts where hoodlums allegedly harassed motorists and residents, particularly at night.
“We arrested 147 suspects and recovered several exhibits, including about 250 expended cartridges, two knives, five battle axes, a pair of scissors, assorted charms and matches,” she said.
According to her, investigations are ongoing to determine circumstances surrounding the recovered cartridges and the suspects’ possible involvement in criminal activities.She noted that the suspects were being held at the Taskforce Office for profiling, screening and further investigation, after which those found culpable would be prosecuted.
The image maker said operatives also uncovered what appeared to be a criminal base during the raid.
She said that in addition to the operation, the police also conducted stop-and-search operations in other parts of the state, which contributed to the high number of arrests.
Adebisi explained that Operation ‘Kosaye’ was a joint security initiative between Lagos and Ogun states, aimed at securing border communities.
She said tactical teams, including the VCRU, PMF, SPU, CTU and Eko Strike Force, had been strategically deployed across border communities and other critical locations to sustain the fight against crime.
Adebisi reaffirmed that the police would continue to combat cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery, traffic robbery and other criminal activities across the state.
The spokesperson, consequently, warned criminals to abandon unlawful activities, as there would be no hiding place for offenders in Lagos.
“Every day may be for the thief, but one day is for the owner.
“We advise all criminal elements to repent and stay away from crime because the Lagos State Police Command is determined to rid the state of every form of criminality,”she said. (NAN)