Lagos state commissioner of police (CP) Fatai Owoseni, beard the Lion in its den, on Wednesday, as the saying goes.
He dared daredevil bandits who have been killing his men like flies as they torment residents of Ikorodu area, on the outskirts of Lagos.
At the last count, four policemen, one army captain, and a civilian were killed in one day when the bandits ambushed them during a joint patrol.
Stories of residents being kidnapped for ransom have become a recurring decimal in Ikorodu. The bandits appeared to be gaining the upper hand, because those behind the criminal enterprise have a safe haven in the creeks that pose security challenges to law enforcement agents.
Determined to turn the tide, Owoseni put on his armour on Wednesday and led his men to war.
They returned to base with a report of 13 arrested suspects and one dead one.
Owoseni’s troops were drawn from the State Marine Police, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Rapid Response Squad (RRS), mobile police squadron and anti-kidnapping squad, along with the local vigilance group.
He disclosed that the war had actually been on before Wednesday, following Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s demand for the heads of the criminals.
Wednesday’s visit to the battle front was with journalists who the police wanted to have a feel of what they have been going through.
Owoseni said, “So far so good, following the attack that occurred at Ishawo where we lost four of our policemen and army captain, we have deployed operatives in the water. What you have seen now is for us to appraise what we have been doing for the past one week. So, quality arrests have been made and we are talking to them because the arrests that were made we believe that we get some evident value from them, so they are talking to us; at least that makes us to know who we are looking for, so that we won’t be on a wild goose chase.
“Earlier this morning, they were able to get to the proper camps of these criminal elements where they saw some of them cooking food. They fled immediately they saw the combined team. We just feel that we should take a decision to destroy the camps. The destruction of the camps is ongoing. That is why we are here and the officers that are handling the destruction of the camps are right inside the creeks now and at the end of the day, they would share the story as they finish the operations. But, our movement here is just for you to see the terrain and see what the security operatives are facing with regards to policing this environment. That is why we are clamouring for the destruction of these shanties.”
Owoseni said that one of the suspected militants died during a fierce encounter with the Intelligence Response team of the Inspector General of Police.
He assured residents in the area that they would go all out to ensure that they fish out all criminal elements in the State.
“We still want to assure members of the public that these people have murdered sleep and they will not sleep,” Owoseni said. “We will make sure that all of them are rooted out and that they face the full wrath of the law.
“The 13 suspects we have, we are interrogating them and they are making useful statements for us, and we are making progress. You can see that helicopter surveillance is also supporting all what we are doing, but we want to assure members of the public around this axis that the government is ready, the security agents are ready to ensure that we put an end to the madness of these criminal elements.”
Owoseni commended the joint efforts of the security operatives, and the support from the local groups who are familiar with the terrain.
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This is sad but I strongly feel the militants ruthlessness and criminal activities must be nipped in the bud once and for all with whatever it takes to have the Creek cleaned up.