THE Lagos State Police Command, in its effort to reduce crime in the metropolis, said it has carried out a six-day crime fighting operation, leading to the arrest of 640 suspected armed robbers and a number of arms and ammunition.
During the sweep, eight suspected armed robbers were shot in an exchange of gunfire with anti-robbery policemen, while 47 of those arrested, described as notorious armed robbers, were paraded.
A total of 102 live ammunition were also recovered at different hideouts of the gangs in the state.
The new State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, told journalists at the weekend, shortly after parading some of the suspects, most of whom were still nursing bullet wounds, that the command also recovered a total of 36 stolen vehicles.
Abubakar further disclosed that 312 street urchins, popularly referred to as “Area boys,” were also picked in the same period.
He told The Guardian that the command had already received the co-operation of the Lagos State government in the ongoing clampdown on criminals in various parts of the state.
According to him, a total of 14 assorted arms were recovered at two particular criminal hideouts during the exercise.
They include extra magazines of AK47, two prohibited Barretta pistols, one revolver pistol, one model 1950 max pistol with serial number 3256, five pump actions guns and 17 locally made single and double barrel guns.
The command said six of the robbery suspects, usually embarked on their operation dressed in expensive Ankara, with the impression that they were attending a social function.
It was alleged that the suspects sell each of the expensive cars that they snatched from their owners at N260, 000 each.
The CP re-stated the resolve of his command to fight crime more aggressively than ever before.