The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Adegoke Fayoade, has ordered a clampdown on phone thieves in the state.
This is as he threatened to sanction any Divisional Police Officer whose jurisdiction would record the latest robbery of phones snatching in broad daylight by miscreants.
This is coming on the heels of an alert of an emerging security threat in Lagos State, by some miscreants who snatch phones from unsuspecting passers-by in broad daylight and thereafter demand money before releasing the phone to the owner.
Sometimes, these miscreants, as gathered, would approach passers-by while making a call with their phones, demanding for it , or an alternative of cash between N5,000 and N20,000, depending on the type of phone.
This act of illegality as gathered, occurs in Oshodi and Agege areas of the state.
In a video that went viral, a woman who alerted Lagosians on this trend, called on the need for security agents to checkmate the menace before it gets out of hand.
To this end, the Lagos State Police Command boss, in a meeting with Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers, DPOs at the command headquarters Ikeja, directed the officers, especially those in the identified areas, to redouble security architecture and enhance their neighborhood with foot patrol within their Areas of Responsibility (AORs), to tackle the emerging menace.
Giving highlights of the meeting, the command spokesman, SP Benjamin Hudenyin, said, "The CP received with concern reports that young men in certain parts of Lagos State seize passersby's phones to extort them despite the sustained raids being carried out by officers and men of the Command.
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"CP Fayoade warned that any officer in whose AOR such an incident occurs again would be severely sanctioned, assuring that the Command remains unrelenting in its resolve and determination to continue to stamp out and make the public space hot for criminal elements.
"The Lagos State Police Command uses this opportunity to commend everyone who brought this menace to the notice of relevant authorities and further encourages all Lagosians to continue to say something when they see something.
"Meanwhile, CP Fayoade has ordered the immediate prosecution of 303 suspects arrested over the weekend during raids across the state, after a careful screening process. The raids were carried out by Area Commanders, DPOs and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS)".
