Lagos State Police Commissioner, CP Idowu Owohunwa, has announced that 21 firearms had been seized in Lagos in March 2023 alone as part of a strategy to combat illegal firearms in the hands of non-state actors. He also warned that there was no hiding place for cultists and other criminals under his watch, and advised cultists to renounce their membership in various brotherhoods.
Making the disclosure at his inaugural meeting with strategic Commanders of the Lagos State Police Command, at the Police Officers Mess, Ikeja, Lagos, the command boss, also revealed that 54 major incidents were recorded across the 13,325 polling units in the state during the just concluded general elections.
CP Owohunwa noted that illegal gun ownership by non-state actors in Lagos is widespread but not isolated and that the command under his supervision is the Inspector General of Police. I have been informed that they are taking a coordinated approach in line with Al-Kali Baba’s instructions. Clean up illegal firearms in public places.
He said-
“ Within March alone, we recovered 21 firearms of different precisions and calibres. We will sustain it and hope that the judicial system will support us and ensure prompt justice on those arrested.
“The command also recorded a combined total of 54 major incidents across all the 13,325 Polling Units in the State, while a total of 45 suspects were arrested during the two electoral engagements.
“In addition,2,870 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) were recovered in the course of police election security operations from various electoral offenders. Other recovered items include seven weapons of violence including two firearms, 28 snatched Ballot Boxes, one BVAS Machines and one POS Machine being deployed for Vote Buying”.
He noted that the general elections that just rounded up, brought some challenges. Most of which were fueled by fake news purveyors, political extremists, thugs and ethnic chauvinists. These challenges were all aimed at threatening the electoral process and creating tension. As well as threatening vulnerable peace and security within the wider polity.
But he stated that the Command was able to navigate through the challenges –
“ to deliver to Lagosians what has been widely acclaimed as the most peaceful, secure, and credible electoral engagement, in comparative terms, in the recent history of the State.
“Our exceptional performance was also evidenced by the reality that contrary to the pre-election threat analysis projections which identified Lagos as one of the possible flash States where mass electoral violence was envisioned, Lagos State did not witness any widespread electoral violence nor did the State experience post-election disorder. Indeed, the post-election trend has been that of peace and stability with the Police continuing to dominate the public space in a manner that continues to reassure the citizens and effectively deter ill-intentioned elements”, Owohunwa stated.
Away from the election, CP Idowu revealed that there is an immediate challenge in Lagos State. Basically, there is an increasing threat that violent criminals, particularly cultists, are posing to Lagosians.
He said-
“ Indeed, the activities of cultists have today evolved to become the most concerning threat to public peace and security in the State and it is expedient that we strengthen our operational strategies and action plans that will address this potent threat.
cc: Vanguard Ng
