Thursday, November 5, 2015

Traffic robberies: IG denies querying CP Lagos

The Inspector General of Police(IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase has denied wild spread allegation that he queried the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, over the sudden increase in traffic robberies in the state.

Indeed, Arase and members of the police management team last weekend passed a vote of confidence on the police chief.
A police said that some disgruntled elements might be trying to throw a spanner in the works for Owoseni.
Arase said that he saw Owoseni not only as an intelligent officer, but a hard working officer.
Arase however said that truly, he charged men of Lagos State Police Command        to strategize on crime fighting. He frowned at those exaggerating the crime situation in Lagos.
He  asked "Is it’s only Lagos that crimes are being committed? Why are they talking of Lagos alone? Owoseni is a fine officer! He’s one of my best officers. I know when an officer is failing in his duty. Owoseni is not failing in his duty.”
On Friday night, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad(SARS), Ikeja, Lagos Command, disguised as beggars and hawkers operating in traffic and arrested 21 suspected robbers, including two undergraduates.
The well-coordinated operation, led by the officer in charge of SARS, was said to have led to the recovery of 11 locally made pistols, six daggers, axes, charms and 16 phones belonging to different victims.
Among the 21 suspects, two are undergraduates, schooling at the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojoor, Lagos. The undergraduates confessed that their specialties in traffic were to rob motorists and commuters of handsets.
According to them, they already have a buyer waiting for them at Computer Village, Ikeja.
The operation was carried out simultaneously in Ojota, Bariga, Iyano-Ipaja and Magoro areas of the metropolis. The operation, which commenced around 9pm, ended at about 10:30pm. The one and half hour operation, saw the SARS operatives mixing with suspected traffic robbers, leading to the arrest and stunning recoveries.

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