Police Arrest 238 Armed Robbers, Recover 28 Vehicles in Lagos

Rebecca Ejifoma

A total of 238 armed robbers were arrested, 12 others died, 78 armed robbery attempts foiled and 28 vehicles recovered in the state from January to August this year by the Lagos State Police Command.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, made this disclosure at the investiture ceremony of the Rotarian President at the weekend in Ikeja, during his speech on ‘Achieving a Crime-free Society through Effective Communication between the Police and the Citizens’.

Giving a breakdown of the crime record in the state he said: “From January to August this year, a total of 238 armed robbers were arrested, 12 others died during encounters with police, 78 armed robbery attempts foiled and 28 vehicles recovered in the state.”

Expressing regret that one police officer was shot dead in the line of duty this year, the CP however noted that there had been a drastic reduction in crimes, especially car snatching, armed robbery kidnapping and cultism, among others in the state.

According to Edgal, the successes can be attributed to the collaboration and contribution of the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) by providing logistics support to the command.

He said: “Since I assumed as the CP last September, I leveraged on the robust goodwill existing among the police, the state government and the public to record achievements that have consolidated that of my predecessors and have ensured that the command keeps the flag flying.”

Speaking on how the command achieved such a milestone, Edgal expressed that he hit the ground running after he initiated and attended 15 Town Hall meetings.

“At the meetings, I introduced my policing plans to Lagos, a plan powered by the philosophy of community policing and community safety partnership. I am happy to inform you that the strategy is working. There has been a drastic reduction in crimes.”

To ensure the low crime rate is sustained, the Edgal said increased police presence in all crime prone areas and other locations has been implemented, adding that the command is not only pro-active in nature, but also intelligence-driven.