The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, on Tuesday said nobody has been attacked or robbed during the Lagos lockdown, despite claims by residents of robbery attacks, especially in border communities.
The Police Boss in an interview on Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, said no report of robbery or attack has been received by the police command and residents are only been ‘apprehensive.’
“I just want to make it categorically clear that there is no single case of robbery in Agege axis. It was just a mere case of apprehension. Because of the little incident that happened some days ago, miscreants at the borderline between Ogun and Lagos decided to exercise unnecessary unlawful acts, which the police rose to.
“Because of the previous experience they had with these ‘one million boys’ they became apprehensive that because of the dastardly acts that these boys normally do, this brought agitation and they came out and said they are ready to defend themselves,” he said.
Reacting to complain of attacks in the Lekki area of the state, the Police Commissioner said nobody has been attacked.
“That of Lekki axis, nobody has been attacked, you just keep on seeing people sitting in two-three gatherings and they believe that if they continue like this, the number may increase and they may begin to come into the houses.
“There’s been no single house where they have been robbed. Just like Agege, there’s been no single report where anybody has been attacked,” Odumosu claimed.
He then urged Lagos residents to go about their business, especially workers on essential duty. He added that the police have “a robust patrol in all these axis,” where complaints are being received.
The Police Commissioner’s response comes amid social media outcry and trends tagged #LagosUnrest. Using the hashtag, residents have shared videos and pictures of unrest in some parts of Lagos State including Gowon Estate, Agege, Ogba, Iyana Ipaja, Ayobo, among others.
According to the residents, increasing robbery attacks have denied them of peace and sleep and many have turned vigilantes keeping bonfire in case of imminent attack.
In response to the outcry, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu on Monday deployed an intervention squad to tackle the crimes in Lagos and Ogun states.
The intervention squad includes Police Mobile Force (PMF) units, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS).
