Police arrest 720 suspected hoodlums after raiding black spots in Lagos
In a bid to curb crimes and criminality on Lagos State, the state’s Police Command said it arrested over 700 suspected hoodlums in the state on Sunday, November 15, 2020.
In a statement by Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force PRO in the state, the police said some identified black spots believed to be harbouring hoodlums and criminals in the state were raided at 7 am on Sunday.
Adejobi said some of the suspected hoodlums were arrested with incriminating items including locally-made guns, life cartridges, charms, Indian hemp, and items suspected to have been looted during the violence that trailed the #EndSARS protest in October.
According to the statement, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of SCID, panti, to commence discreet investigation on the arrested suspects for immediate prosecution.
The statement reads, “In its bid to solidify the security architecture of Lagos State, the Lagos State Police command has relaunched its Anti Crime Strategies to curb crimes and criminality across the state.
“The command today, Sunday 15th November 2020, at about 7 am, carried out raids simultaneously on identified black spots, reasonably believed to be harbouring criminals and hoodlums, across the fourteen (14) Area Commands in Lagos State.
“In the swift operations, police operatives of the command arrested seven hundred and twenty (720) suspects with incriminating items including locally-made guns and life cartridges, charms, weed suspected to be Indian hemp, substances suspected to be cocaine and some items suspected to have been looted from various shopping outlets within the state during the recent Endsars violence.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, who matched his words with actions, had earlier warned and directed police officers and men to move against lawlessness and criminality in Lagos; he affirmed the zeal of the command to sustain the operations, even, beyond the yuletide season.
“CP Hakeem Odumosu has however directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of SCID, panti, to commence discreet investigation on the arrested suspects for immediate prosecution. He also urged those whose items were looted during the recent Endsars violence to come up for claims of their items with proof of ownership.
“The police chief commended the officers and men of the command for the successful operations, while he charged them to be at alert for more operations across the state.”
Adejobi had earlier announced on Twitter that there was no crisis in Ajah as speculated on social media. He said the police only moved into area to raid some identified black spots.
*#EndSARS: ‘Buratai ordered deployment of trainee soldiers to Lekki’, general tells Lagos panel*
Brig. Gen Ahmed Taiwo, the Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, says the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai ordered the redeployment of soldiers undergoing training in Lagos to restore order during the #EndSARS crisis.
He said the trainee soldiers were deployed for the exercise due to shortage of troops.
This was part of Taiwo’s revelations on Saturday, November 14, 2020, when he appeared to testify before the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry.
The Lagos State Government had set up the panel during the crisis to probe the alleged shooting of peaceful protesters on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at Lekki tollgate and to look into police brutality cases in the state.
While testifying before the panel on Saturday, Taiwo said, “The 81 Division was short of troops, the Chief of Army Staff gave an extraordinary order that all Army schools should be shut down and everybody should be brought to the operation.”
A day before the trainee soldiers were drafted to enforce the curfew imposed by the Lagos State Government, the military officer said he had incidentally taught the young soldiers about internal security techniques.
He said he also reminded them on the operation day how it was unbelievable that only a day after learning the techniques, they were going for an operation in internal security.
*Court orders police to investigate Sam Adeyemi, Falz, Aisha Yesufu, 47 others over #EndSARS protests*
A Magistrate’s Court in Abuja has ordered the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Ciroma to investigate 50 persons who allegedly promoted the #EndSARS protests.
The magistrate, Omolola Akindele gave the order in a letter to Ciroma days after a human rights activist, Kenechukwu Okeke filed a criminal suit against some #EndSARS promoters.
Okeke had accused the defendants of acting in a manner “with intent to assist in the promotion of an unlawful assembly under the guise or composition of #EndSARS”, adding that the defendants used Twitter to instigate some ‘riotous persons’, who destroyed his property.
However, in the letter to the police commissioner, the magistrate gave the police two weeks to investigate the matter and give a report for “proper adjudication”.
The letter reads in part, “I am directed by the Presiding Chief Magistrate II, his worship, Hon. Omolola Tolulope Akindele, sitting at Chief Magistrate Court 2, Wuse Zone 6, FCT Abuja, to write to your office to investigate the above-mentioned case and report back within two weeks for proper adjudication of the case.”
Some of the persons listed as defendants in the letter include, the Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Sam Adeyemi; Aisha Yesufu; Kanu Nwankwo; Joe Abah; Kiki Mordi; Feyikemi Abudu and Damini Ogulu (Burna Boy).
David Adeleke (Davido); Folarin Falana (Falz); Debo Adebayo (Mr Macaroni) Maryam Apaokagi; Peter and Paul Okoye; Innocent Idibia (Tuface); Bankole Wellington, Tiwa Savage, Michael Ajereh; Ayo Balogun (Wizkid), Ayo Sogunro and Deji Adeyanju.