Task force operatives raid Ikotun, harass passersby

Operatives of the Lagos State task force carrying out orders of the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, to flush out hoodlums in some hotspots across the state in ‘Operation Eradication of Criminal Hideouts,’ on Monday night descended on Ikotun axis of the state, harassing passersby and night crawlers.

The operatives, armed to the teeth, stormed the busy Ikotun roundabout around 10:00p.m. in a white car and black van, with the inscription ‘Lagos State Task Force Monitoring and Enforcement, Oshodi 2’ and registration number SMK340AC.

It was a nightmare for traders, residents and passerby as the policemen ushered whoever they could lay their hands on into the black van (men), going as far as picking people in neighbouring streets to the bus-stop. The officials, numbering about 15, beat their victims with the butt of their guns, especially when their captives tried to resist being whisked away.

A woman whose husband was taken away, was crying profusely lamenting on the top of her voice that they were both returning from work when the task force officials separated them and took him away.

A passerby, who escaped being arrested and witnessed the events, lamented the raid, which according to him was targeted at just anybody for being on the road at that time of the night. “The policemen forget that Ikotun is far from the city centre just like Ikorodu. So you see people just returning from work after the usual traffic around this time. I just returned from work and I noticed that the officials were forcing people into the van without any offence committed.”

One of the ladies who claimed she was slapped, Folashade, said: “This is evil. I was only looking for Keke NAPEP to take me home when they started beating me. The funniest thing is that those that are corporately dressed were also forced into the van as if there is a curfew in town prohibiting people from moving around after 10:00p.m.”