The Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday commenced a massive crackdown of all armed security guards, adding that already,
five of such local guards have been arrested at Egbeda and Isheri Osun areas in
the state.
According to the police, the suspects arrested were identified as 50-year-old Ojo Ayodele; Rasheed
Adekunle, 60; Musibau Gbadamosi, 60; Ayomide Ibile, 32; and Kehinde Jimoh, 42.
Their arrests were based on the directive by the newly
appointed state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, who said the move was to
retrieve all illegally acquired arms in the hands of vigilantes in the state.
According to the police, the move was necessary based on its
discovery that some members of the vigilante group were involved in robbery,
ritual killings and kidnappings across the state.
Imohimi, while addressing journalists during his maiden press
conference held at the state command officers mess, Ikeja, labeled the suspects
notorious armed robbers who have been terrorising members of the public in
recent times.
He said the police recovered one automatic single
barrel gun, four locally made double barrel rifles, 22 live ammunition and two
expanded cartridges.
Imohimi said the five notorious suspects were
arrested based on intelligence report from members of the public on the criminal
activities of the gang.
He said: "On September 6, 2017, based on information
received on the criminal activities of the gang, detectives from the Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police moved
to Egbeda around 3a.m.
"During the raid, five suspects were arrested. One
automatically rifle, four locally made rifles, 22 live ammunition and two
expended cartridges were recovered," he said
Stressing that the law does not allow local guards
to bear arms, Edgal said double and single barrel rifles are only licenced for
hunting and not for security duties.
He noted that anybody, under any guise found to be
using fire arms, aside that which it is licenced for, would be made to face the
wrath of the law.
But in a swift reaction, those arrested said the rifles found
on them were given to them by the chairman of their landlord association in
Egbeda.
One of the suspects, Ojo, said they were shocked
when they were raided by the policemen, who according him, have been working
hand in hand with them.
He said: "I am a member of the Oodua People’s
Congress (OPC). Rasheed Adekunke and I were contracted by the landlord
association as guards when crime in the area was on the increase.
"They were the ones who bought the rifles for us and it
was licenced. I am not an armed robber like they claimed but guards working to
make a living for my family."
Kehinde Jimoh, another guard arrested with one rifle said he
was employed by the management of a petrol station at Ikotun.
He said: "I was on duty at Fidelity Filling
Station in Ikotun when around 3a.m. one Bamidele who also work as guard in
another petrol station jumped into our compound.
"I tried to find out what he wanted. He said he
wanted to buy petrol. I told him that the station was not open and that he
should come back around six. He insisted and I refused.
"While the discussion was still on, another
person jumped into the premises. Initially, I thought he was a thief.
"He asked me where I kept my gun and before I
knew what was happening, he grabbed hold of me. It was later that I got to know
that he was a policeman."
No comments:
Post a Comment