Police invade robbers’ hideouts, arrest 5 in Lagos

A number of hideouts suspected to be hideouts of traffic robbers and cultists in the Ikorodu area of Lagos have been combed by a special team comprising policemen from different units.

Five suspects – Tanimowo Babatunde, 41; Gbolahan Oladimeji, 25; Kabiru Atanda,30; Ibrahim Abubakri, 29 and 19-year-old Wasiu Rafiu – were arrested by the operatives.

The spokesperson for the police in the state, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Friday, said the operation was carried out on Thursday in furtherance of the promise made by the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, recently at the Ikorodu Town Hall Meeting to rid the community of illegal and criminal acts.

He said, “The Commissioner of Police’s special squad hit the town on Thursday, around 6pm on sting operations. The special squad commanded by the Assisstant Commissioner of Police, Operations, comprised operatives of Rapid Response Squad, Task Force, State Intelligence Bureau, Special Anti-Crime Team, Police Mobile Force, Motor and Traffic Division, among others.

“The operations were carried out simultaneously to remove the shanties, blockages and open markets on the roads in the Ikorodu Division, particularly in the Agric area and some other parts of the town, that had been an eyesore and criminal hideouts, with a view to making the town free of gridlock and crimes. The squad succeeded in clearing the blockages on the roads, illegal parks and shops, where it arrested five suspected traffic robbers and cultists.”

Adejobi said the CP appealed to traditional rulers and union leaders to support the efforts by the police to sanitise the community.