The Zone 2 Police Command Onikan, Lagos, has read the riot act to herdsmen to stay clear of the Command, comprising Lagos and Ogun States or face the wrath of the Force.
The Command also warned kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists, and other criminal elements not to dare the command as it would deal ruthlessly with any criminal elements.
The Assistant Inspector – General of Police ( AIG) Shehu Lawal who read the riot act yesterday during a press conference at his office, said: ” There are rumours making the round that herdsmen have invaded the South Western States. I want to assure you that herdsmen have not invaded my jurisdiction, which is Ogun and Lagos States. Few individuals who people claimed were herdsmen tried some funny things with villagers in Imeko area of Ogun State and they were promptly arrested and charged to the Court. We don’t condone rubbish in my command.
” No matter any guise, whether herdsmen, bandits, Kidnappers, armed robbers, we are battle ready for you. I want to state in clear terms that herdsmen should not dare us in Lagos and Ogun States. The Operation Puff Adder which was recently launched by both Lagos and Ogun State Command is aimed at fighting violent crimes including the menace of herdsmen/farmers crisis, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, banditry, land grabbing, rape among others. I am warning that we are ready to deal with trouble makers “.
AIG Shehu who paraded 26 suspects including kidnappers, said the command has made lots of achievement with the recovery of over 140 arms including pump actions, pistols, and double barrels guns; cutlasses, dangers, 250 ammunition, and assorted charms.
He assured that the Sallah celebration would be crime hitch-free as adequate security measures have been put in place.
” People should go about their normal duty as we are fully on ground to maintain law and order before, during and after the Sallah and give useful information to the police as the force cannot do it alone.
Lawal also warned men and officers of the Command to police with fear of God and Police Order act as the command has reinvigorated the Monitoring unit and X Squad to deal with any erring policemen: ” I am warning that we will not tolerate bribery, extortion and inhuman treatment of the public. We are serious about it and anyone caught in any act of corruption will be shown the way out of the force and be prosecuted after internal disciplinary action. You don’t have to use your power to intimidate the people whose taxes are used to pay your salary “.
Giving a breakdown on how the command recorded successes, he said on April 2, a case of murder, assault, and malicious damage was reported to my office, and operatives from Zonal Intervention Squad swung into action and moved to Alagbado where some members of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), were arrested.
The OPC men led by Oladipopo were hired by Olori to take over a tricycle garage at Moshalashi bus stop, Alagbado.
A tricycle rider, Shakira Bashiru, was shot dead while so many people sustained bullet injuries.
He said four locally made single and double barrel guns with five live cartridges and one expended cartridges were recovered from the suspect.
Also recovered in their den were five locally double/single barrel guns, four pump action guns, 23 live cartridges, two cutlasses, one expended cartridge, and assorted charms.
