The police in Lagos, Ogun and Cross River states have stepped up efforts to combat crime through digital intelligence gathering, stronger collaboration with justice-sector stakeholders and enforcement against suspected violent offenders.

While the Lagos State Police Command has urged transport operators and hoteliers to adopt a digital passenger and guest registration system, the Ogun Command has reaffirmed its zero tolerance for extortion and misconduct, as the Cross River Command arrested a man over alleged assault and threats to life and recovered a locally made pistol and ammunition.

At a stakeholders’ engagement on the National Transit E-Manifest (NTEM) at the Police Officers’ Mess, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, urged hotel operators and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to enrol in the platform to strengthen crime prevention.

NTEM is designed to improve the collection, verification and retrieval of passenger and hotel guest records, enabling authorised security agencies to identify suspects, gather intelligence and investigate security incidents more efficiently.

Fatai said criminals involved in kidnapping, armed robbery, human trafficking and highway attacks often exploit inadequate passenger manifests and poorly maintained hotel registers to conceal their identities and movements.

He noted that handwritten records used by some transport operators and the limited digital capacity of certain hotels could delay investigations and hinder security responses.

The commissioner, however, stressed that the system must operate within the law.

With appropriate safeguards for personal information under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023. He also noted that electronic records intended for court proceedings must meet the applicable requirements of the Evidence Act 2011.

Managing Director of Travi Mobile Limited, Jonah Ukoh, said the platform was designed to safeguard, integrate, store and transmit guest information securely. He added that a person who refused to provide accurate details would not be checked in, with suspicious cases referred to security agencies.

In Ogun State, Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni reaffirmed his commitment to accountability and respect for fundamental rights when he received the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abeokuta Branch, at the Command Headquarters, Eleweran, on October 20.

The NBA chairman, Kayode Aderemi, raised concerns about judgment enforcement, alleged extortion and remand proceedings, while pledging continued cooperation with the police.

Ojajuni said constructive engagement between the police and lawyers was necessary for an accountable justice system. He stressed the need to verify court judgments before police action and comply with legal requirements for remand proceedings.

He urged members of the public and legal practitioners to report misconduct through the police X-Squad and Complaint Response Unit, while cautioning lawyers against frivolous petitions that turn civil disputes into criminal cases.

The commissioner announced a joint follow-up committee involving the police and NBA to resolve outstanding concerns and prevent avoidable disputes.

Meanwhile, the Cross River State Police Command arrested Sylvester Otu over alleged assault and threats to life following a complaint by his fiancé, a resident of Ibiaeh Palm Estate, Biase Local Council.

Police spokesperson Sunday Eitokpah said the woman reported the alleged incidents on October 18. A search of Otu’s residence the following day, after information linked him to suspected membership of the Aye Confraternity, reportedly yielded a locally made pistol, two live cartridges and a black beret suspected to be associated with the group.

The suspect remained in custody as investigations continued into the allegations and recovery of the firearm.

The Commissioner of Police, Ajo Ordue, reiterated the command’s resolve to tackle cultism, illegal possession of firearms and violent crime, urging residents to report threats and suspicious activities.

The police said the case would be investigated in accordance with the law, emphasising that the suspect remained innocent until proven guilty by a court.