The Lagos State Special Taskforce has been drafted to complement the regular police in providing security cover for the residents of the state.
This followed reported activities of suspected hoodlums and cult groups alleged to be breaking into shops and homes in some parts of Lagos, which have thrown the residents into fear.
The rising activities of the hoodlums are believed to be fueled by the current lockdown on Lagos, Ogun and Abuja as a measure to contain the spread of killer Coronavirus pandemic.
Residents of some areas, including Alimosho, Ogba, Agege, Ikotun among others had been living in fear since weekend, when the hoodlums reportedly launched attacks on people, forcing some neighborhoods to form vigilante groups.
“We are in darkness because there is no electricity. The 1 million boys, and miscreants are attacking us. We are the ones defending ourselves. They put us in isolation without protection.
“We are no more safe in Oke-Koto, Agunbiade from Pen-Cinema, Oremeji, Ayanmeji, all in Agege area of Lagos. Our lives are in danger, these boys are about 100 breaking into homes, we are running helter skelter. Please let somebody help us,” one of the victims in Agege area, who identified herself as, Modinat Ajayi, cried out on Saturday.
According to report, the invading hoodlums, mainly youths with age ranging between 16 and 25, armed with dangerous weapons, operated from house-to house on Sunday evening. They were said to have regrouped on Monday but were repelled by youth associations of the area, complemented by police team who raced to the areas.
Security agencies comprising Lagos State Taskforce; Rapid Response Squad, RRS, Divisional Police and the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, Agege, Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi, later responded to the distress call by the residents.
Chairman of the Lagos State, Yinka Egbeyemi, told reporters that security operatives had since expedite action to against any attack on the people.
He urged residents to continue to cooperate with security agencies on information sharing to curb any robbery attack at this period as their identities will be treated in utmost confidentiality.
It was also gathered that Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has directed the Special Governor’s Special Taskforce to complement the effort of the regular police team in arresting the situation.
Spokesperson of the Lagos Police Command, Bala Elkana, had said on Saturday that the police foiled robbery attempt in Lagos-Ogun border communities and also deployed Special Strike Force to check the activities of social miscreants otherwise called “Area Boys” with 36 of them arrested.
According to Elkana, the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the Lagos command, Hakeem Odumosu had ordered the immediate deployment of operatives of the command’s anti-robbery squad, anti-cultism squad and raiders to various parts of Lagos to support the efforts of area commands and divisional patrol teams already deployed to tackle violent crimes being perpetrated by hoodlums.
“Operatives of the command’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS) are also positioned in strategic locations to promptly respond to distress calls.
Patrols are being intensified around markets and stores to prevent hoodlums from stealing and looting. Patrol teams are equally deployed to the various communities and streets,” said Elkana
He added that 20 suspects were arrested on Friday, April 10, within Ilaje and Ajah communities for gang violence.
The Area B’ command, he said, equally responded to a distress call at Burma/Creek road, Apapa where seven gangsters who engaged in supremacy battle on the street were arrested.
“Their mission on the street was mainly to steal and loot under the guise of supremacy battle,” adding that nine other suspects were arrested along Abule Egba and Ifako Ijaiye areas, after police operatives successfully foiled a robbery attempt on residents in the Lagos-Ogun border communities.
Bala added that all suspects arrested would be charged to court after investigation into the cases had been concluded.
He, however, urged members of the public to reach out to the police in the event of threats around their neighborhoods through the following emergency numbers: 09010512285, 09010512286, 09010512287, 09010512288.
