Oluwatosin Lamidi
The Lagos State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni on Tuesday listed Ijede, Morogbo and Surulere as areas that hare highest rate of notorious activities in the State.
Owoseni who spoke at the 10th Town Hall Meeting on Security with the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode held at Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos disclosed that 246 people were murdered as a result of cultism, gangsterism among others in the state in last one year.
According to him, 542 vehicles were stolen in the state and 486 armed robbers between December 2015 and November 2016.
Owoseni explained that the 246 murdered cases and deaths were occasioned by cultism, gangsterism, youth restiveness and street fights ranked highest.
He said the menace was most prevalent in areas within Ijede, Morogbo and Surulere Police Area Commands respectively mostly due to clashes over territories for purpose of collecting illegal levies for business owners and motorists.
Owoseni said “The menace is most prevalent in areas within Ijede, Morogbo and Surulere Police Area Commands respectively. This cut across the three senatorial districts of the state. Clashes are mainly for supremacy as well as claim to territories for the purpose of collecting illegal levies for business owners and motorists.
“The gangsters are sometimes employed to settle scores of various types and use as foot soldiers by some very important personalities in the society.
“Identified groups include ‘Aye,’ ‘Eiye,’ ‘Awawa Boys,’ and ‘One Million Boys’. Two groups-‘Owonikoko and Happiness’ are made of members, with ages between 10 and 14 years.”
According to him, 542 different brands of motor vehicles were reportedly stolen, disclosing that 65 percent of the vehicles were either removed from where they were parked or driven away by drivers employed by unsuspecting individuals.
The commissioner added that 486 armed robbery suspects were arrested while 46 of them were killed during confrontation with the police, adding that 38 suspected kidnappers were arrested and 181 other suspects were apprehended in connection with cultism and street fights.
He disclosed that 355 distressed calls of allegation of armed robbery were received, out of which 85 calls were found to be false, while 179 (66%) were prevented due to swift response, just as 91 robbery cases could not be prevented from happening.
“Areas within Ogba Area Police Command accounted for the highest number. 51 cases of kidnapping were recorded, with Ijede Police Area Command accounted for the highest number (47%). They may not be unconnected with the physical and cultural environment of the area. Most of the communities affected can be easily accessed through the many hidden water/streams and they also have oil pipeline run through them,” he explained.
Owoseni also revealed that 213 different firearms were recovered with 2,901 rounds of ammunition and cartridges of different calibers, while 293 motors were recovered, adding that 180 cases of domestic and sexual violence were reported to the police in the last one year.
“Eighteen are domestic violent cases while 162 are rape/defilement. Convictions of punishment ranging from three to 13 years imprisonment were secured from four of the cases, while trial in the remaining cases are at one stage of hearing or the other,” he said.
