The Lagos State Police Command has recorded significant breakthroughs in its fight against cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, fraud, and other crimes, with the arrest of 68 suspects and the recovery of a cache of firearms, ammunition, stolen vehicles, and fraud proceeds in the past month. Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja.
He said the achievements were the result of new crime prevention strategies introduced upon his assumption of office, designed to improve intelligence gathering, strengthen operational capacity, and boost police response to distress calls.
Jimoh expressed appreciation to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for equipping the Command with modern crime-fighting tools, and to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for continuous operational support, which he said has reduced the Command’s response time to about five minutes.
“These successes reflect the combined efforts of our officers, community informants, and the unwavering support of the state government,” Jimoh said, urging residents to continue sharing credible intelligence with the police.
Within the period under review, the police recovered 17 firearms — including English pistols, a Beretta pistol, an AK-49 rifle, and locally made pistols — as well as 99 rounds of ammunition of various calibres. Other items recovered include four vehicles (a Toyota RAV4, a Mercedes-Benz E350, a Toyota Camry, and two minibuses), 19 mobile phones, six laptops and tablets, a bulletproof vest, security identification cards, and documents linked to a visa scam worth over ₦500 million.
Among the notable cases highlighted by the CP were:
- Peaceful 2025 Local Government Elections: On July 12, security was deployed to 13,325 polling units and 376 ward collation centres across 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs. The election was incident-free, with minor disruptions swiftly addressed.
- Kidnap Gang Arrest: On July 13, police rescued a 16-year-old boy abducted in Yaba. Four suspects were arrested after collecting a ₦2 million ransom and stealing the victim’s belongings.
- Fake Security Agents: On July 30, a seven-man gang that impersonated security personnel to hijack fuel tankers and commit armed robbery was arrested in Ejigbo.
- ₦500 Million Visa Fraud Syndicate: On July 16, detectives dismantled a network operating from Ago-Okota that defrauded over 100 victims under the guise of securing Canadian and Australian work visas. Four suspects are in custody, while others are still at large.
- Vehicle Theft Ring: On July 17, operatives arrested suspects who posed as drivers to steal cars, dismantle them, and sell the parts at Ladipo market.
- ‘One Chance’ Robbery Syndicate: On July 18, Ikeja police intercepted a minibus in which suspects had lured and robbed a female commuter. Weapons, including an axe and concrete blocks, were recovered. One of the suspects was identified as a wanted gang leader.
- High-Value Vehicle Recovery: Police seized a 2021 Lexus hybrid SUV worth over ₦75 million, suspected to have been stolen from abroad and put up for sale without valid documents.
Jimoh assured Lagos residents that the Command would maintain an aggressive posture against criminals through a combination of intelligence-led policing, community partnerships, and visible patrols.
“Crime and criminality will be brought to the barest minimum. We will continue to manage and deploy our human and operational resources optimally across the entire state,” he said.
The CP added that all arrested suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
