Three community leaders of Ikotun Area of Lagos State were on April 7, 2021 arrested for the lynching of a suspected burglar.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement that the burglar had gained entrance into the room of one Adeyemi Opeyemi of 2, Asalu Bus Stop, off Abaranje Road, Ikotun, Lagos in attempt to rob her, but she raised the alarm and the burglar escaped into the street.
Some members of the community apprehended him and beat him to death.
The police said the community leaders: Sakariyau Biliaminu, 66; John Adeyemi, 77; and Gabriel Ajayi, 55, have some questions to answer pertaining to the killing of the suspect.
According to the police spokesperson, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has condemned the act of jungle justice metted out to the suspect, saying such is inimical to the collective efforts to improve on the Criminal Justice System of the state.
In another development, police operatives attached to the Ojo Division of the command on April 6, 2021 arrested three suspected traffic robbers: Bashiru Ammo, 19; Ibrahim Mohammed, 23; and Arinze Victor, 19, all of Alaba Rago Market, Ojo, Lagos for attacking innocent commuters in Ojo area.
Following police investigation, other suspected receivers for the traffic robbers were arrested on April 7, 2021.
They are Bello Jafaru, m, 20; Nuru Abdullahi, m, 23; Nafiu Saray, m, 21; and Bashiru Mohammed, m, 19, all of Kasuwan-Dare Alaba Rago, Ojo, Lagos.
“The suspects have confessed to the crime of attacking and dispossessing commuters and innocent Lagosians of their belongings along Ojo-Iba Road,” police said in a statement.
Again, operatives attached to the Ojo Division in conjunction with some members of the Alaba Rago Market, Ojo on April 7, 2021 at about 3:30am in another operation, also arrested a set of suspected traffic robbers along the Iyana Iba to PPL area of Lagos.
The suspects are Mathew Christopher, 25; Babangida Umoru, 25; and Babangida Abdullahi, 19.
“They were arrested with some weapons like knives, cuttlasses, broken bottles and other offensive weapons. They have all confessed to the crime,” the statement added.
It said in another operation, operatives attached to the Ikeja Division of the command on April 5, 2021 at about 12:15am accosted three suspected armed robbers on a motorcycle along Awolowo Way, Ikeja and arrested one of them while others fled.
The suspect, Malik Abdullahi, was arrested in possession of one locally-made single barrel gun with assorted charms.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered that all the suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba for proper investigation and possible prosecution.
The police boss also charged officers and men of the command to be more proactive to security issues around their areas of responsibility.