Police raid black spots, nab 720 hoodlums in Lagos

Etim Ekpimah

Lagos State Police Command has arrested 720 hoodlums from their various hideouts as a part of its strategies to curb crimes and criminality in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State, SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement made available to journalists on Sunday that around 7am on Sunday, the command carried out raids simultaneously on identified black spots, reasonably believed to be harbouring criminals and hoodlums, across the 14 Area of commands in the state.

He stated that in the swift operations, police operatives of the command arrested seven 720 suspects with incriminating items like locally-made guns and life cartridges, charms, weed suspected to be Indian hemp, substances suspected to be cocaine and some items suspected to have been looted from various shopping outlets within the state during the recent #EndSARS protest.

The statement read: “The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, who matched his words with actions, had earlier warned and directed police officers and men to move against lawlessness and criminality in Lagos; he affirmed the zeal of the command to sustain the operations, even, beyond the yuletide season.

“CP Hakeem Odumosu has, however, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of SCID, Panti, to commence discreet investigation on the arrested suspects for immediate prosecution. He also urged those whose items were looted during the recent #EndSARS violence to come up for claims of their items with prove of ownership.”

He added that Odumosu commended the officers and men of the command for the successful operations, while he charged them to be at alert for more operations across the state.

Meanwhile, chaos was said to have escalated after security operatives left the area on Sunday. The hoodlums were said to have set some property on fire as well as looted stores.

The incident is said to have resulted in heavy traffic in the Ajah area of Lagos State.