Police strengthen operations in Oshodi with mobility vehicles, bikes

Ahead of the yuletide season, Lagos State Police Command on Friday said it has equipped its officers with additional patrol vehicles and motorcycles to aid security operations in Oshodi area of the state.

The police said the increase in cases of phone snatching, robbery in traffic and pickpocketing at night in Oshodi prompted the Lagos Police commissioner Imohimi Edgal to direct the reinforcement.

“Oshodi has been one of the hot spots in Lagos. For some time, because of the prevalence of pickpocketing, phone snatching and traffic robbery at night,” Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Police said in a statement.

“On these grounds, three additional patrol vehicles and five patrol bikes were mobilized to reinforce Rapid Response Squad and police divisions’ presence in the area.”

The police said, “the efforts are yielding dividends with the arrest of suspected pickpockets, phone snatchers and traffic robbers” who had perpetrated the acts.

Earlier in November, The Guardian newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief, Debo Adesina, was attacked by suspected daredevil traffic robbers in broad daylight on Oshodi Bridge. The robbers, who took to their heels immediately after the act, dispossessed him of his phones and other valuables.

As at the time of the robbery, no police officer was in sight as the hoodlums had a swell moment going from car to car, smashing windscreens and collecting valuables from innocent motorists. Items stolen from Adesina include mobile phones, cash and company identity card.

Barely 24 hours later, the police arrested the traffic robbers.