The Police Command in Lagos State says no fewer than 1,802 suspects have been arrested in raids at different black spots in the state within the last two weeks.
SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s spokesperson, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday. Hundeyin said that between April 8 and April 14, the command arrested 1,019 suspects in various raids within Oshodi, Mushin, Agege, Lagos Island, Ojota and Orile-Iganmu areas.
He said that also between April 15 and April 20, another 783 suspects were arrested when the command raided again some of the places earlier mentioned and other areas. He said that the exercises were carried out by area commands, divisions, and tactical teams, including the Rapid Response Squad.
He also said that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, who gave the order for the massive raid, commended the officers for reducing crime and criminality through the exercise.
Hundeyin added that through the exercise, many attacks on the public in some areas, particularly at night and early morning had been checked. He said the exercise would be sustained as it was yielding the expected result of checking crimes.
The image maker who noted that the exercise was not meant to extort members of the public, stressed that proper screening always takes place after raids, to ensure that innocent persons were not added to suspected criminals.
He advised the public to always go about with their means of identification and avoid hanging around suspected criminals and black spots. Hundeyin further called on the public to keep on informing the police about the activities of suspected persons or groups in their areas.