This was disclosed by the command boss, CP Idowu Owohunwa, during the acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun ‘s tour of duty to Lagos yesterday.
According to the Vanguard the CP noted that Lagos State presented distinctive security challenges on account of its demography and socio-economic interplays, saying its internal security space in recent times, laced with the threats of cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, murder and sexual and gender-based violence.
Besides, he said the command was also confronted with the challenge of dissecting and dealing with the thin line between the civil and criminal dynamics of land disputes which were also prevalent in the state.
The crime profile of the state, according to him, “is further accentuated by the prevalence of illegal firearms proliferation, and illicit drug abuse and trafficking.
“Hardly does a day pass by without the ever vigilant operatives of the Command recovering weapons and illicit drugs of various descriptions at stop and search points, raids of black spots, and other operational engagements with all such recoveries linked to the perfection of crimes across the state.
“Most worrisome in all these is a noticeable trend that indicates an increasing local expertise in the fabrication of various types of firearms including replicas of foreign-made pistols, AK47s and other assault rifles.
” This trend, coupled with the threat of cultism, projects a potent danger to the security space of Lagos State.
” Also of routine concern is the traffic gridlock and the attendant occasional traffic robberies which are compounded by on-going road projects across the State including, in particular, the Lagos-Ibadan highway”.
He hinted that in cognizance of the situation, the command was planning to organize a conference soon, with the intent to mainstream the discourse on cultism and violent crimes in Lagos, as well as to galvanise all strategic stakeholders and the different levels of governance in the state to the evolving threat.
“This is with the overall goal of adopting a whole-of-society approach to mitigating the trend. The groundwork for the conference is being currently perfected.
“This is with the overall goal of adopting a whole-of-society approach to mitigating the trend. The groundwork for the conference is being currently perfected.
“Aside from this, in addressing the prevalence of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the State, we are working in partnership with the Office of the First Lady of Lagos State to establish a purpose-built Centre for the Command’s Gender Unit.
” This is with a view to upscaling the capacity of the Unit to professionally manage the menace in line with best global standards and within a functional facility that will have the capacity not just to professionally investigate and prosecute such cases, but to have the competence to extend psychosocial, medical”, he stated.
