Posted by By CHRIS ANUCHA on
The Lagos Police Command is to establish a Special Marine Anti-Robbery Squad (SMARS) to combat crime, especially in the inland and waterway.
The Lagos Police Command is to establish a Special Marine Anti-Robbery Squad (SMARS) to combat crime, especially in the inland and waterway.
It would be recalled that the United States of America recently warned its citizens living in Nigeria against what it called insecurity in the country's waters.
The Special Marine Anti-robbery Squad, Daily Sun gathered, would ensure a water-tight security on the land and waterways, for protection of lives and properties.
A brain child of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of zone 2, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, SMARS, when established would also provide security for companies located along the coast areas and effectively monitor movements of people and goods on the sea.
Daily Sun also gathered that the Lagos State Police Command would soon take delivery of Helicopter that would help in carrying out surveillance in the city's waterways and land.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Frank Mba, who confirmed this told Daily Sun that unlike before when the Force had only Marine police, Special Marine Anti-robbery Squad would strengthen security on the waters as it would be more of attacking forces that would put pirates and other criminals in check.
He explained that the presence of policemen on the roads may have made the robbers to shift base, adding that it was an indication that the police were in control.
Mba explained that before now, the Marine Police had been able to combat crime on Nigeria waters, citing the recent interception of catche of ammunition by the Marine police as an example.
The Lagos State Police Command spokesman explained that Abubakar would soon meet with Corporate bodies, especially those on the Lagos Island, to see the areas they could be of assistance to the police to upgrade their arms, ammunition and communication gadgets for effective crime control.
'Now that we have effectively taken control of the road, we are going to the waterways. We are taking delivery of helicopter in the second quarter of the year, we will fight them in the air, water and land," he boasted.