The Lagos State Police Command on Monday said that it had deployed no fewer than 1,000 of its personnel for a hitch-free Yuletide in the state.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bala Elkana, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that it was part of steps aimed at preventing crimes during and after the Yuletide.
Elkana said, “The command has made adequate arrangements in the deployment of its personnel and other resources to: markets, recreation centres and places of worship on Christmas Day and New Year Day, to ensure a hitch-free celebration.”
He said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, recently declared a state of emergency on traffic with the deployment of no fewer than 1,000 police officers to help ensure free flow of traffic.
He said that Lagos State had two major issues, which were traffic management and crime prevention and control.
“Traffic situation is a major concern in the state and once traffic does not flow, we will experience traffic-related crimes such as traffic robbery among others.
“Therefore, we have a large number of our personnel in Lagos State working toward managing traffic which will also help prevent crime.
“The commissioner has also deployed 200 motorcycles which the command got with the support of the Lagos State Government for traffic patrol alone and also to prevent traffic- related crimes,” he said.
Elkana said that the command had also reactivated the Mobile Court System with the support of the Ministry of Justice and the Judiciary.
He said that the mobile court had to be reactivated alongside enforcement team for those driving against traffic.
He said that this was an act which had been contributing to traffic gridlock in the state.
“Traffic offenders will be arrested instantly and arraigned before the mobile court.
“This will help reinforce in the minds of people that the law is very strong with enforcement and prosecution backing it up.
“This will deter people from breaking the law with impunity,” he said.
Elkana also said that the Lagos State Taskforce had started clearing different parts of the state of street trading.
The police spokesman added that the command was dealing with the problem of indiscriminate parking as well as illegal bus stops to ensure a smooth flow of traffic.
“Traffic-related crime is a crime of opportunity. When we can ensure that there is a smooth flow of traffic, then we will have begun to remove the opportunity which perpetrators take advantage of to commit crime,” he said.
He said that the command had also launched what he called a `Special Strike Force Unit’ that would be after miscreants.
He said that the task force had begun to take its battle to the doorsteps of suspected miscreants who were operating under different names.
He said, “Close to 200 suspects related to the `Awawa’ boys, `No Salary boys’ and all manner of gangs had been arrested with an appreciable number of arms recovered from them.
“All these are geared toward making the Yuletide safe for everyone and for people to enjoy a peaceful atmosphere within the state and, by extension, neighbouring states.’’
Elkana said that the command also had speedboat patrolling the waterways as well as patrol vehicles on the highways and on the streets to ensure safety of travellers and residents.
He also said that aerial surveillance was ongoing with helicopters hovering and taking surveillance of the city/state so that ground personnel could be deployed in areas where there were reported cases of unrest.
“So, there is no space that has not been provided for in the state by the police command in terms of safety when it comes to the Yuletide.
“Everyone is guaranteed a hitch-free Christmas celebration and New Year celebration in Lagos as the command is well prepared,” Elkana said. (NAN)
