CP Odumosu Reads Riot Act, Warns Market Women To Stay Off Walkways & Youth To Stay Away From Crime

LUCKY AKRA L.

As part of the measures to bring policing to the grassroots and get the citizens to participate in the policing affairs of their communities in line with the concept of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, NPM mni, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Odumosu, had a town hall meeting with the stakeholders in Ikorodu and environs.

At the Town Hall meeting weretraditional rulers, community members, market women, youth groups, CDAs, National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW,  Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Stakeholders, Traditionalists, Christians and Islamic Associations and all the sisterly Security Organizations in Ikorodu and environs, to address and attend to the security situations of Ikorodu Community as a whole.

The Lagos State Police Boss, CP Hakeem Odumosu, took out his time to address the Traditional rulers and all those present at the stakeholders meeting. He warn the market women against the obstruction of the walkway on the main roads and advised them to speak with the relevant body for a bigger place to accommodate their members without obstructing the road in any form.

Same advice was given to all the transport organisations, who were also advised to stay off the roads and not to collect dues from their members on the road but should address all issues at the motor parks. He also advised all and sundry to use nose masks and observe the Covid-19 protocols.

It could be recalled that ritual killings, cases of cultism, gangsterism, traffic robbery and all other hideous crimes had attracted public attention within and outside the state. According to him, many perceive Ikorodu situation as a state of anarchy but the Command, some individuals and interest groups never perceived the situation as bad as being projected.

CP Odumosu stated that the Command and other sister security agencies have been alive to their responsibilities of tackling these challenges headlong with the little logistics available within their reach as the effort of the synergies with other security operatives including locally based security operatives have paid off as many of these criminals or miscreants have been arrested, decimated and their criminal operations were thwarted in many cases.

Odumosu, when admonishing the stakeholders against any criminal act, said, “You gave the uniform to us and we are here to tell you what we have done so far, the problems we have envisaged and where you want us to come in”.
“We will not tolerate any act of criminality; you should give information to Police about any cultist activities as most of them live in the communities and if any of the officers is conniving with anyone of the criminals, the members of the community should report the officer directly to me as I’ve given out my contact.”

In view of these, the Police boss listed the achievements of the Command in Lagos State and Ikorodu as stated. 

Number of achievements between July, 2020 and January, 2021.
In Lagos State as a whole the number of Armed Robbers and Cultists arrested were 539 out of which Ikorodu is 242.
Numbers of arms recovered in State is 57, in Ikorodu- 28
Numbers of ammunition recovered 196, Ikorodu- 129.
Numbers of vehicles recovered- 23, Ikorodu – 17.
Numbers of foiled armed robbery cases- 130, Ikorodu – 25.
Number of murder cases- 139, Ikorodu -18.
Numbers of attempted suicide 21, Ikorodu – NIL.
Numbers of Cultism cases 210, Ikorodu- 192.

Armed Robbers and Cultists charged to Court in Lagos State 320 while from Ikorodu 172.

After the analyses, the CP said the trials of the cases are still ongoing at various Courts in the state.
Mr. Odumosu appealed to all the community leaders, political leaders and elders to talk to their wards, youth and others to shun any form of violence or criminal activities as anyone of them caught will be dealt with according to the law. He insisted they warn the bad ones as none will be spared if caught and he will not listen to any elder or leader that calls on behalf of anyone caught causing violence or committing any criminal offence.

“Furthermore, anyone that comes to the Command to beg for any criminal offender will be arrested and charged to Court for aiding and abetting and also for obstructing his lawful duty.”
Therefore, he advised them to warn their people.
According to him, the effort of the Lagos State Police Command in collaboration with sister Security agencies to curb crime and criminality in the state have paid off and can never be jettisoned.
“However, in as much as we are resolute to consistently tackled these security challenges in Lagos State and Ikorodu Division of the state in particular, the Command has reactivated its strategies in line with community policing concept to sustain the virile and effective security architecture of the state. And it is the plan of the Lagos State Police Command to keep Lagos State safe” Odumosu stated.