The Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu on Monday deployed special forces to quell unrest in Lagos and Ogun communities occasioned by robberies and cult-related violence.
The special forces comprising Police Mobile Force (PMF) Units, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS) are to work with police operatives of both Lagos and Ogun commands.
Police spokesman Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner, said the operation would be coordinated by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in charge of southwest Peter Ogunyanwo.
Mba said the IG ordered immediate deployment of additional intelligence and operational assets to the affected areas to strengthen security and bolster public confidence.
He also disclosed that the police have arrested 191 suspects and recovered 15 locally-made guns, 52 live cartridges, 42 cutlasses and axes and large quantity of weed suspected to be marijuana from the hoodlums at Agbado, Ifo, Otta and Agege axis.
He said: “The intervention team is being coordinated by DIG Peter Babatunde Ogunyonwo, a seasoned crime fighter, who doubles as the DIG in charge of the Department of Research and Planning of the Force and the coordinating DIG for South-West Geopolitical Zone.
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“He is to immediately oversee the deployments of these additional assets to enhance public safety, public confidence and general security in the two states.
“Meanwhile, the IG has ordered Commissioners of Police across the country to immediately rejig the security architecture in their various commands to effectively tackle all emerging crimes associated with the COVID-19 lockdown.
“They are also to intensify patrols around residential areas, markets, shopping malls and all critical national infrastructures in their jurisdictions.
“The Assistant Inspectors General of Police in the 12 Zonal Commands have also been directed by the IG to bring their supervisory role to bear by ensuring that the commands under their zones are safe and secure for the citizenry to live and thrive.”