The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu has vowed to arrest any individual from Ikorodu, no matter how highly placed, who will dare call him to seek the release of any criminal arrested by his men.
Odumosu made the declaration while addressing hundreds of Ikorodu Division stakeholder at the 2021 Ikorodu Town Hall Meeting on Security, organised by the division on Wednesday.
The Police Chief condemned the rising cases of insecurity, particularly cult clashes that has paralysed social and commercial activities in the division in recent times, reeling out criminal cases recorded in the division from his records
‘242 armed robbers and cultists were arrested in the local government within the last six months while 28 arms and 120 ammunition were recovered. We also recorded 192 cultism and 18 murder cases in the period under review while our men were able to foil 25 robbery incidents’, he said.
CP Odumosu therefore called on all stakeholders- traditional rulers, religious bodies, CDAs, market men and women and transporters to ensure they transact their businesses within the ambit of the law, promising to descend heavily on trouble makers and their accomplices henceforth.
The Executive Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, Hon Wasiu Adeshina, earlier in his welcome address noted that, ‘there is need for a more dynamic approach to security in Ikorodu. The six chairmen of Ikorodu LG & LCDAs have started the process of addressing the security challenges. Igbogbo already have a joint task force, while Ikorodu LG has purchased 3 patrol buses and will soon launch its own joint security task force patrol team’,.
Delivering a joint address on behalf of all Ikorodu Division monarchs, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Oba Seniudeen Orimadegun Kasali described the Lagos CP, Odumosu as ‘an embodiment of conventional and community policing in one Package’.
The royal father also stated that the trouble makers should not be called cultists but gangsters. He also chided some unnamed individuals who he noted were also present at the event for being promoters of criminalities in Ikorodu Division.
He called for a sincere soul-searching among all stakeholders to enable them make necessary adjustments.
Making presentation on behalf of Ikorodu Oga Development Association (IKODASS) member-clubs and association, Otunba Ganiyu Olusegun Abiru highlighted recommendations from IKODASS member-clubs and associations to include;
1. Provision of conducive environment for businesses to thrive
2. Fulfilment of the promise made by the Lagos State Government, to create jobs for repentant cultists
3. Infrastructural support for the Police
4. Local vigilance group to work in partnership with the Police
5. Institution of Security Endowment Fund
6. Regular raiding of drug joints by the NDLEA 7. Restructuring of the educational see for to make it more attractive to students 8. Sanctioning of parents of criminals and cultists for aiding and aibeiting crime 9. Disempowering of landgrabbers in Ikorodu 10. Need for police men to be truthful, honest and patriotic in the discharge of their duties 11. Need to create more police stations in Ikorodu Division 12. Meeting between Ikorodu Division Monarchs and elected politicians on the deplorable security architecture of Ikorodu 13. Baales should be empowered by the local government, to assist in securing Ikorodu communities.
Other Ikorodu bodies that presented communiques to the CP were the Oriwu Club, CDC Ikorodu Division, NYCN Ikorodu Division Chapter and Otunba Gbenga Dosumu who made presentation on a disputed land between Imota and Isiu communities.
CP Odumosu received the presentation, pledging to read and act on recommendations made by the presenters.
The meeting climaxed with the presentation of Asa insignia to the visiting CP by the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi.
