Covid19: Police Arrest 2,310 Violators Over Lockdown Order

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, has disclosed that the Command has arrested about 2,310 violators over the lockdown directives by both the Federal and State government.

P.M.EXPRESS reports as was confirmed by the Police boss during a press conference on the successes recorded during the lockdown held on 11th May, 2020, at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, Lagos.

He said that since the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, measures were put in place by the Federal Government of Nigeria and Lagos State Government to prevent the spread of the virus. He noted that the Police, being the lead agency in internal security and a front liner in combating the ravaging virus, adequately mobilised its human and material resources in enforcing the directives issued by Government in collaboration with other security agencies in the State. 

CP Odumosu stated that during the period of lockdown, Lagos State Police Command succeeded in arresting 2,310 violators of the lockdown order and charged 2,185 suspects to Court and they were awarded various punishments while releasing 125 suspects, who were mostly under aged offenders. He also stated that the Police enforcement teams impounded 2,092 vehicles, comprising 800 private vehicles and 1,292 commercial vehicles and equally impounded 1,535 motorcycles and 369 tricycles at the period.

He explained that with the pronouncement of the gradual easing of the lockdown by the Government with effect from Monday, 4th May, 2020, the Command adopted more effective measures and strategies to enforce the curfew imposed from 8.00pm to 6.00am daily as well as the ban on non-essential inter-states movements. 

“Our teams were also deployed to ensure that Lagosians obey the guidelines regarding opening and closing time for businesses, workplaces, markets; the use of facemask in public places; number of passengers per commercial vehicle and maintaining social distancing principles” he said.

However, he stated that on the first day of the enforcement, the Police arrested 121 suspects for violating the curfew order and 79 vehicles were impounded while 58 suspects were arrested for not wearing facemask. Within the last one week, the Command has successfully arrested 1,434 violators. Out of the number 820 were arrested for violating curfew, 134 arrested for not wearing face mask, 80 arrested for not maintaining social  distance and 208 arrested for interstates offenders vehicles were impounded, which include 25 vehicles intercepted for interstates travel and 332 motorcycles and 29 tricycles were also impounded. 

CP Odumosu expressed the determination of the Police to enforce compliance to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in the State and urged the residents to comply with the directives for the interest of residents in the State.

The CP also paraded other criminal elements arrested across the State for allegedly committing various offences and will be charged before Court for the alleged offences. He also shared face masks to the suspects while being paraded at the Command.