220 People Assassinated; 40 Robbers Killed Within 11 Months In Lagos – Police

Posted by African Examiner Lagos, Latest Headlines, News From The State Tuesday, December 15th, 2015

By Ayo Balogun

The Lagos State Police Command has disclosed that 220 people were murdered in the State between January and November, 2015 while the police killed 40 armed robbers who engaged the force in gun battle.

State Police Commissioner (CP), Fatai Owoseni who gave the statistics at the 9th Town Hall Meeting on Security in Lagos, Tuesday disclosed that 220 cases of murder were recorded in Lagos in the last nine months, lamenting that the rate of murder was high.

He added that during the period under review, 375 armed robbers were arrested out of which 42 were traffic robbers between January and November, 2015. He said 113 suspected cultists and seven impersonators were arrested with several equipment recovered, as well as items and cash worth N1.389 billion.

According to him, 125 armed robbery cases were prevented and 233 stolen vehicles were recovered while the police arrested 25 suspected kidnappers and rescued 24 kidnapped victims within the year under review.

Owoseni also said 335 vehicles were reportedly stolen between January and November, 2015, out of which 207 were removed from where they were parked by their owners, while 112 were snatched and 16 driven away by drivers of unsuspecting owners who employed them.

He added that10 suspected pipeline vandals were arrested and 7,500 liters of PMS, as well as a petrol tanker and a pumping machine, adding that two gun boats, two flying boats and two canoes were recovered from the vandals in the state.

“216 different model of guns, large quantity of charms, axes and others dangerous weapon were recovered from robbers in the state, adding that a gun fabricating machine was recovered. The police recovered 1,555 different calibres of ammunition/cartridges and mobile phones, computer laptop and other valuables worth N1.4 billion.

“The police and other security agencies raided criminal hideouts in the state and arrested 5,721 suspected hoodlums, saying that 893 of them were released upon prove that they had credible means of livelihood. Also, 4,828 of this number were arraigned before the magistrate courts in the state. Of the total number arraigned, 2, 675 were convicted while 1,840 have their cases still pending at the courts. However, 86 of the suspects were remanded. A total of 4, 789 commercial motorcycle popularly called Okada were impounded for operating on the over 400 prohibited roads in the state,” he said.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who spoke at the event said his administration is determined to judiciously utilize the resources garnered from the people for the overall well-being of the State, just as he restated his commitment to ensure the security and safety of lives and property as well as sustain a friendly investment climate.

The governor said his commitment to the safety of the people is crystal clear and non-negotiable, saying that the town hall meeting was put together as part of efforts to continually create a platform for generation of ideas and solutions to confront security challenges facing the State, and to reassure the security agencies of the commitment of government to ensure their success.

He explained that the N4.8 billion recently used to equip the police came from the tax payers, adding under his administration, tax payers’ money would be accounted for and utilized to improve the lot of those who have chosen the state as home.

Ambode said if one million people could contribute as low as N1000 each to the Fund, such would go a long way in providing modern gadgets to the security agencies, urging the people to donate generously.

The event was organized by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, with the theme: “Refreshing Our Security Model.”