Countering Organized Crime in Nigeria

The Lagos State Police Command, on Thursday, paraded 66 alleged criminals, including those it said were responsible for an attack around Airport Hotel in Ikeja, which led to the death of a police officer.

The suspects are linked to different crimes, including armed robbery, unlawful possession of arms, impersonation, cultism, murder, Idowu Owohunwa, the police commissioner told journalists at the Police Officers’ Mess in Ikeja.

He said they were apprehended after ‘Operation Flush’ was initiated by the police last week to fight crime in the state.

The operation led to the arrest of 14 suspected miscreants on 4 August at Mile 2 and 23 others on 8 August in Apapa for allegedly extorting motorists, especially truck drivers.

“It is to be noted that the operation is continuous and will be replicated in other parts of the state,” the police chief said.

Mr Owohunwa said the suspects were arrested within a month.

“From all these cases which we successfully cracked, we recovered a total of 14 firearms including two AK47 rifles, one of them locally fabricated, two locally fabricated toy guns, 15 live cartridges, four expended cartridges, 25 live ammunition, five machetes, 34 bags of weed suspected to be Indian hemp, six vehicles, two bags containing fake US Dollars, fake Pound Sterling note.

“Two award plaques from Buccaneer fraternity, one Buccaneer banner, a pair of police camouflage uniforms, a jack knife, police identity card, two hoods, black pipes, some quantity of weed suspected to be Indian hemp and sixty-six kegs of fake Total engine oil.”
Speaking about the alleged murder of a police officer in Lagos, Mr Owohunwa said six suspects were arrested in connection to the incident.
“On 3rd of August 2023 at about 2200hrs, based on intelligence gathering on the armed robbery incident around Airport hotel Ikeja that led to the brutal murder of a police officer and the carting away of his rifle, operatives of the Command embarked on a discreet investigation and arrested one Salami Ahmed ‘m’ aged 30, Ismaila Adio ‘m’ aged 22, Toheeb Muri ‘m’ aged 23, Seyi Olajide ‘m’ aged 24, Nelson Sunday ‘m’ aged 34 and James Nnamani ‘m’ aged 24 at their hideout in Alagbado and Amikanle areas of Lagos State,” he said.
“One AK47 rifle with twenty-one rounds of live ammunition were recovered. This syndicate is also responsible for robbing a popular night club in Ikeja on 19th of July 2023.
“On 10th of August 2023 at about 1310hrs, operatives of the Command arrested Solomon Ochohepor ‘m’ aged 40 and Abu Ibrahim ‘m’ aged 47 for impersonation.
“The duo were impersonating as mobile police officers guarding an estate were arrested when they were trying to effect an arrest on a case reported by a lady who thought them to be genuine officers.”
The police chief further said that on 18 August some suspected cultists were arrested based on intelligence gathering at their hideouts at Sabo-Yaba and Ijesha-Surulere. The suspects are Daniel Ojo, 35, and Giwa Quadri, 36.
“The following items were recovered from both scenes: One pump action rifle, one locally made pistol, three live cartridges, three expended cartridges, three branded machetes, two award plaque from Buccaneer fraternity and one Buccaneer banner among other incriminating items,” he said.
In an interview with journalists, one of the suspects said he was lured by his friend into robbery and deeply regrets his actions.
The police recovered a Spyder Victor Paintball Marker gun semi-auto and a machete from the suspect when he was arrested.


SOURCE: Premium Times
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/618990-police-parade-66-suspected-criminals-in-lagos.html
Police parade 66 suspected criminals in Lagos
