How Police Are Recycling Armed Robbers In Lagos – Residents

MICHAEL AKINOLA

The Nigeria Police in Lagos may appear to be fighting the war against crimes in the State but their actions seem to suggest a kind of recycling of criminal elements going by the latest revelations by residents of Ikorodu, Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS investigation revealed that most of the suspects arrested and charged before Court usually find their way back to the streets and continue their criminal activities in more deadly manner.
Thus, all the efforts made by officers become wasted owing to what some Lagosians described as poor investigation and prosecution, which was reason when the suspects were taken to Court they will be set free.

This was part of the issues raised at the Town Hall meeting between the Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu and stakeholders in the area over the rate of kidnapping, cultism, bunkering and armed robbery.

Some of the residents, who spoke after the meeting, noted that the CP may have good intentions to fight crimes but the Police do not have a strong team that will successfully provide evidence to enable the Courts to convict and hand the suspects long term imprisonment to serve as deterrent to others.

“When we provide information and suspects were arrested but in few days time such suspects were seen around and continue to commit the same crime, do you expect any reasonable person to give further information in future?” a resident asked.

Another resident identified simply as Mr. Timothy said that if the Police really want to fight crimes, they should first retrain their officers to brace up with the modern way of intelligence gathering and prepare well to arrest, prosecute and secure convictions, then the public will have confidence in them to provide useful information.

“These criminals are well known in the society but people are always afraid to pass vital information to the Police in order not to risk their lives” he said.

However, CP Zubairu Muazu commended the people in Ikorodu area for collaborating with the Police to fight cultism and kidnapping, stressing that the information given by the residents in Imota area of Ikorodu helped to bring the two major crimes to a low level. He noted that he was aware there were still some other crimes in the area, saying that the number of persons present at the Town Hall meeting showed they were committed to eliminating any crime.

The Police boss said security of lives and property was very important, therefore, no one should take it lightly, urging them, particularly, traditional rulers, community and religious leaders to lead in this direction .
Muazu called on the youths in the area to shun cultism and kidnapping, stressing that there was no safe place for them in crime.

“What peace cannot give you, violence will never give” he counselled.

Earlier, the Area “J” Commander Ijede, ACP Ayo Nubi, mentioned that kidnapping, cultism, bunkering, armed robbery were the major crimes in the area, stressing that these crimes had been checked drastically.
According to him, the crimes were checked through intelligence led community policing and vehicular patrols, noting bad roads, interference by some elites during investigations and inadequate man power and equipment as challenges for the Command.
The Oba Ronodu of Imota, Bakare Agoro, urged the Police to always protect their informants with a view to have more information from members of the public.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that traditional rulers, local government chairmen, religious leaders, transporters, the Army, local vigilante groups in the area were present at the meeting.