The Lagos State Police Command has made significant strides in its fight against armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping, and other violent crimes, arresting 68 suspects and recovering a large cache of firearms, stolen vehicles, ammunition, and fraud-related items valued at over N500 million in the last four weeks.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, revealed these achievements at a press briefing held yesterday at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja. He explained that these successes stem from the introduction of new crime prevention strategies and rapid-response operations designed to curb crime and protect lives, property, and investments in Lagos.
CP Jimoh commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, for providing the Command with modern crime-fighting equipment, and praised Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his continuous logistical support, which has helped reduce police response times to distress calls to approximately five minutes.
Key arrests and recoveries include suspects involved in murder, armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms, advance fee fraud, kidnapping, vehicle theft, drug offenses, and cultism. Police seized 17 firearms such as English pistols, a Beretta, AK-49 rifles, and locally-made guns; 99 rounds of live ammunition; four vehicles including a Mercedes-Benz E350, Toyota RAV4, an unregistered Toyota Camry, and two minibuses; 19 mobile phones, laptops, naval IDs, bulletproof vests, as well as weapons like axes and hammers.
Additionally, documents connected to a N500 million visa fraud scheme were recovered. The scam, linked to an educational consultancy, reportedly defrauded over 100 victims seeking Canadian and Australian work permits.
On election security, CP Jimoh confirmed that the police ensured a peaceful and incident-free 2025 Local Government election on July 12. A joint “Show of Force” operation was conducted two days before the polls, and vehicular movement was restricted on voting day to maintain order.
Notable arrests include:
A kidnapping and armed robbery gang responsible for abducting a 16-year-old boy and demanding a N2 million ransom; four suspects were arrested in Ikeja, Jakande, and Makoko.
Seven men posing as security agents who hijacked fuel tankers in Ejigbo.
Four suspects tied to the N500 million visa fraud, with manhunts ongoing for others.
A vehicle theft ring that tricked car owners into hiring them as drivers before fleeing with the vehicles.
Three ‘One Chance’ robbers, including a notorious gang leader, arrested after pushing a female victim from a moving bus in Ikeja.
Two armed robbers caught during a robbery attempt at Mile 12.
Interception of a Lexus 2021 hybrid SUV worth over N75 million, believed to be stolen from outside Nigeria.
CP Jimoh assured Lagos residents of the Command’s commitment to sustaining pressure on criminals, urging citizens to report any suspicious activities immediately. “Under my watch, crime and criminality will be brought to the barest minimum,” he said.
Source: Vanguard Online
