Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr. Idowu Owohunwa, has identified cultism as an evolving crime threating the internal security of the state.
Mr. Owohunwa said this while parading 42 suspected cultists at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja, the state capital.
He also lamented that criminals were producing more sophisticated guns to threaten the peace of the state, adding that to tackle this threat, that he reorganised the special unit of the Command, and with the support of the police boss, they have been equipped and given a new orientation.
He said the idea of this reorganisation was to decentralise operations and move them closer to the grassroot, to the front where more nefarious activities of the cultists have been experienced.
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Mr. Omohunwa also said they were sent to their Area Commands, equipped and charged to operate optimally.
His words, “Not just to identify the cultists, but to undertake intelligence, led operations, such that the battle will be taken to the doorsteps and otherwise safe havens of the cultists. Also, to support their operations, a unique intelligence asset was deployed, because the orientation is to ensure that they do not wait until the cultists strike, before they strike, urging them to remain steps ahead to restore the internal security of Lagos State.
“Within the first two weeks, we made very significant breakthroughs; in the course of the anti-cultism operation, we arrested a total of 42 suspected cultists in raids carried out in Ijora, Orile, Ebute Metta and Ikorodu. A total of 10 firearms were recovered from the cultists, including six locally made short guns, three locally-fabricated semi-automatic pistols, and one English-made pistol; three axes, three cutlasses, three knives, three daggers, 13 life cartridges, and multiple charms.
“I am warning the cultists that in line with the promises made to Lagosians, we will deploy all our operational assets, and provide the leadership needed, that will ensure that the special unit of the Lagos State Police Command sustains this battle against cultists, who appear to be determined to threaten the internal security of Lagos, our value for peace and our wish for a stable and secure Lagos.
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“The Command, under my watch, will deny them the space, in a forceful manner, to disturb the peace of Lagosians. We are also reassuring Lagosians that the battle to rid Lagos State of cultists and other dangerous elements has started and we will not relent until we restore order in the state.
“So, any criminal should take this as a firm warning, that they have an option than to change for better and opt for legitimate means of livelihood or have us and the law to contend with, because we cannot allow criminals to reign,” he said.
When asked about manpower of the Command, Mr. Omohunwa said: “We need 20 million police officers in Lagos. I say so because there is no police agency anywhere in the world that the police institution, alone, can police that community.
“So, the question shouldn’t be the number, it is the buy-in of the citizens. So, if the over 20 million population in Lagos could also see themselves as stakeholders in policing system in Lagos State, I don’t need any other manpower. So, if you see something, report to the nearest police station.
“We should shift emphasis from number to strengthening synergy, trust and partnership between the police and the citizens, so that the citizens will be our eyes where we do not have our boots, and with that, our challenges will be effectively addressed. The number can never be enough.”
