Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has ordered states Commissioners of Police to put stiffer security measures in place to curb all emerging crimes associated with the COVID-19 lock-down.
Adamu has also ordered the commissioners to intensify patrols around residential areas, markets, shopping malls and all critical national infrastructures in their jurisdictions.
The order is coming on the heels of recent activities of hoodlums and street urchins in the border communities between Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP who gave the order in Abuja said 191 suspects had so far been arrested in Lagos and Ogun states in connection with the incidents and various weapons recovered from them.
Adamu in a statement signed by the force public relations officer Frank Mba, listed items recovered from the hoodlums to include 15 locally-made guns, 52, live cartridges, 42 cutlasses and axes and large quantity of weeds suspected to be Marijuana.
Mba in the statement said: “In the wake of recent activities of hoodlums and street urchins in the border communities between Lagos and Ogun states, the Inspector-General of Police, M A Adamu, has ordered the immediate deployment of additional intelligence and operational assets of the force, comprising Police Mobile Force (PMF) units, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS), to Lagos and Ogun states to strengthen security and bolster public confidence in the affected areas.
“The Intervention Team is being coordinated by a Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Peter Babatunde Ogunyanwo, a seasoned crime fighter, who doubles as the DIG in charge of the Department of Research and Planning of the Force and the coordinating DIG for South-West geopolitical zone. He is to immediately oversee the deployments of these additional assets to enhance public safety, public confidence and general security in the two states.
“Meanwhile, the IGP has ordered Commissioners of Police across the country to immediately rejig the security architecture in their various commands to effectively tackle all emerging crimes associated with the COVID-19 lock-down. They are also to intensify patrols around residential areas, markets, shopping malls and all critical national infrastructures in their jurisdictions.
“The Assistant Inspectors General of Police in the 12 zonal commands have also been directed by the IGP to bring their supervisory role to bear by ensuring that the commands under their zones are safe and secure for the citizenry to live and thrive.
“A total of 191 suspects have been arrested in Lagos and Ogun states in connection with the incidents. The following exhibits, 15 locally-made guns, 52 live cartridges, 42 cutlasses and axes and large quantities of weeds suspected to be Marijuana have been recovered from the hoodlums by the police teams in the Agbado, Ifo, Otta and Agege axis.
“The DIG, Peter B. Ogunyanwo, can be reached through this GSM No: 0803 389 3226. The Control Room Numbers for Lagos command are 08127155132, 08065154338 and 07055462708 while those of Ogun Command are 08081770416 and 08081770419.
“The IGP assures the citizens that the police will not sit idly by and allow the activities of a few criminals to disrupt the peace and security of the country. He commends Nigerians for their steadfastness, patience, perseverance and vigilance at this critical time.”
