The Lagos State Government has said it would be resolute in its efforts at flushing out kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals from the state.
Steve Ayorinde, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, expressed the government’s determination at a Forum of the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagoson Tuesday.
Ayorinde said the government was taking measures to protect the safety of lives and properties and ensure that the state was not a safe haven for criminals.
The commissioner warned criminals to desist from their nefarious activities, saying the state had built a security capacity robust enough to deal with them, however sophisticated they might be.
He said: “Of course, Lagos is not an Eldorado and so is not crime-free, but because of the level of investment and the commitment of the Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration to security and securing lives and property in Lagos State, we can promise and say that we have the capacity to confront all forms of crimes and any form of criminalities, wherever they are committed.
“We have invested heavily on security and our message to criminals is that you cannot toy with Lagos.
“If they have been doing certain things and getting away in other states, this state will probably be their last.”
The commissioner said the safe rescue of three pupils kidnapped at a missionary school in Ikorodu early in the year and the subsequent arrests of the suspects spoke of government`s determination to get at criminals, wherever they might be.
Ayorinde said the robust security apparatus of the state also ensured the rescue of a traditional ruler, Oba Goriola Oseni, the Oniba of Iba, after he was recently abducted from his palace.
He said: “Three of the suspects have been arrested and one of the suspects confessed to have advised the others against the act in view of the strong security capacity in the state.”
Ayorinde said the state government had, in the last 10 months, spent at least N4.8 billion on the provision of helicopters, patrol vehicles, gadgets and other items to the police to sharpen their response to crime situations.
He said all the 117 police stations in the state benefited from the support, adding that each police station got at least one patrol vehicle and two power bikes to enhance its operations.
Ayorinde said the government had also extended logistic support to other security agencies, including the Army and the Navy, to boost their capacity to respond to crimes.
The commissioner said the state’s Command Centre was being strengthened with equipment and personnel to ensure rapid response to emergency situations.
He urged residents to always reach the centre through the dedicated toll free lines of 112 and 767 to report emergencies like fires, robberies and other violent crimes for prompt response.
Ayorinde, however, noted that crime prevention and fighting was not the responsibility of government alone and urged all residents to support government’s efforts by volunteering information on suspected criminal activities in their areas.
He said: “We will continue to engage the citizenry and encourage them to partner with the government because there is no way security can be the sole responsibility of the government.
“The media is involved, citizens must be involved, particularly in taking advantage of our emergency numbers of 112 and 767.
“And on every patrol vehicle, vans or even our helicopters, they will see the numbers to call.
“If people make use of these numbers, they will go a long way in helping to curb activities of criminals.”
Ayorinde urged Lagosians to be law abiding, adding that government was doing its best to promote development in the state.
NAN.
