Idowu Owohunwa, the commissioner of police for Lagos State, has claimed that the state’s criminal elements are developing more local expertise in the manufacture of firearms.
He revealed this on Wednesday during the unveiling of the state command Complaint Response Unit by Kayode Egbetokun, acting Inspector-General of Police.
The weapons, according to Owohunwa, include AK47s, other assault rifles, and replicas of pistols made abroad.
The police chief continued by saying that the development, when combined with the rise in cult-related activities, poses a serious threat to the state’s security.
He added, “We also face the constant challenge of examining and resolving the fine line between civil and criminal dynamics of land disputes, which are also common in the state. Gridlock in the streets and the sporadic robberies that result from it are a regular source of worry, and they are made worse by the state’s ongoing road projects, particularly those on the Lagos-Ibadan highway. The prevalence of illegal firearms, drug abuse, and auto thefts all contribute to the state’s high crime rate.
Rarely a day goes by without the command’s ever-vigilant agents discovering weapons and illegal substances of various kinds during stop-and-search operations, raids of “hot spots,” and other operational engagements. All such discoveries are connected to the completion of crimes across the state. The most concerning aspect of all of this is a discernible pattern that shows a rise in local proficiency in the production of various firearms, such as copies of pistols made abroad, AK-47s, and other rifles.
In order to help the police stem the dangerous tide, Owohunwa appealed to all strategically important state actors as well as the populace. He mentioned that the command would set up a conference in the upcoming weeks in an effort to start a conversation about how to stop cultism and violent crimes in the state.
Egbetokun, however, admonished law enforcement personnel to abstain from improper behaviour and adhere to professionalism.
He made specific mention of the negative impact extortion claims against police officers have had on the police department’s reputation.
Regarding the proposed creation of a special intervention squad, Egbetokun revealed that personnel mobilisation had started in that direction.
According to him, this was consistent with ongoing efforts to purge criminal elements from some troubled areas of the nation.
If you have been keeping up with our activities since I assumed the role of acting Inspector General of Police, you will know that we have taken a number of actions to ensure that crime is kept to a minimum and to restore security to troubled areas. We are taking the necessary action to eliminate the criminal elements terrorising the drivers on the Abuja-Kaduna route. You will start to notice results very soon.
The formation of a special intervention squad is underway. In order to make that a success, we have already begun mobilising. And the SIS will soon begin operating in the states we have selected as pilot states. Just give us a little more time, and you’ll see that our efforts are beginning to bear fruit.
“Fortunately, we have a government in place that is concerned about police officer welfare and the problems associated with welfare. Mr. President has assured me that initiatives are being taken to make Nigerian policemen happy, he continued.
