Lagos task force arrests 22 suspects in criminal hideout raids
The Lagos State Task Force on Sunday said its operatives arrested no fewer than 22 suspected criminals terrorising the Obalende and TBS bus terminals in the Lagos Island area of the state.
PUNCH Metro learnt from a statement by the task force spokesperson, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, that the arrest followed a complaint by the management of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority over the activities of some hoodlums within the terminals.
Abdulraheem noted that upon receiving the complaint, the operatives swung into action and swooped on the suspects who specialised in attacking unsuspecting members of the public.
He said, “In response to persistent complaints from residents of Obalende regarding the activities of hoodlums and miscreants who attack innocent citizens, the Lagos State Task Force has taken decisive action to restore safety in the area.
“This came against the backdrop of increased complaints by the management of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority who also sought the intervention of the task force, as criminal elements had turned the TBS Bus Terminal into a hideout for their illicit activities.
“Acting swiftly, operatives of the Lagos State Task Force, led by the Chairman, CSP Adetayo Akerele, raided the location on Saturday night and arrested 22 suspected criminals who possessed harmful weapons and hard drugs on them. They had been using the terminal as a base to launch attacks on unsuspecting commuters and residents.”
Reacting to the arrest, Akerele who spoke through Abdulraheem, stressed the agency’s commitment to ensuring sanity in the area.
He added that the agency would continue to ensure that other bus terminals within the state are routinely monitored to prevent the activities of miscreants and hoodlums.
“CSP Akerele reiterated the state government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of Lagosians and maintaining law and order across the state. He warned that any individual involved in criminal activities or making life difficult for law-abiding citizens would face the full wrath of the law.
“Akerele also assured the management and residents that routine patrols and surveillance by the agency would be channelled towards the area to forestall a reoccurrence of the ugly incidents that had been recorded in the past.
“The Lagos State Task Force remains resolute in its mandate to rid the state of crime and uphold security in all public spaces. Residents are encouraged to continue reporting suspicious activities in the environment through the agency’s feedback channels to collectively maintain the decorum widely witnessed in the metropolis,” Abdulraheem concluded.
