Posted by By JULIANA FRANCIS on
The police in Lagos received over 5000 AK 47 rifles on Monday, in preparation for an all out war with armed robbers, who appear to have seized the state by the throat.
• As police raid black spots
The police in Lagos received over 5000 AK 47 rifles on Monday, in preparation for an all out war with armed robbers, who appear to have seized the state by the throat.
The Commissioner of Police (CP), Mohammed Abubakar, received the loads of arms and ammunition at the police headquarters in Ikeja, for onward dispatch to the 87 Division in Lagos.
Daily Sun gathered that the rifles and ammunition were part of the effort of the Inspector General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro and Lagos State government to stem the tide of the rising crime wave.
Meanwhile, the CP has ordered his men to raid dark spot all over the state, describing the move as a 'show of force."
Involved in the exercise were over 189 patrol vehicles and 200 men. Aside from patrolling black spots, visits were also made to border areas, which have been discovered to be routes for robbers escaping into neighbouring states and countries after operations.
Abubakar said: 'After the new year and Christmas celebrations, criminals went to regroup. We are also regrouping to tell them that the battle is not over."
According to him, the patrol was not a window display, but an exercise to show police readiness to fight crime.
He added that massive raids, led by area commanders, would be continually carried out. He noted that earlier raids at black spots have led to recovery of hundreds of arms and ammunition.
The police boss, who revealed that 12 suspected robbers who were part of the gang that killed three police men attached to Apapa Division, have been arrested. He added that the command was also trying to fish out the moles in the Nigeria police.