Sleep with your eyes closed, no armed gang in Lagos – Commissioner of Police

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos has assured residents in the state of their safety when he stated that there are no armed gangs in the state, especially the popular 1 million gang.

The re-assurance came just as the State Police Command, acting on the orders of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, stepped up its surveillance, following the panic generated by threat letters purportedly written to some communities by a faceless criminal group, “One Million Boys”.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, who led squadrons of anti-robbery policemen to various tension-soaked communities on Friday, allayed residents’ fear, saying the criminal gang called “One Million Boys” had been disbanded in several operations.

He said:

“Today, we have come out in full show of force to give you assurance that there’s nothing like ‘One Million Boys’; they are criminals. Be assured that Government is out to protect you. The police are out there to guarantee your safety and we are doing this in conjunction with soldiers, Navy, Air Force and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives.

“So, we are asking you not to panic. Go about your lawful engagements. When it is time for you to sleep, you should sleep without nurturing the fear that some faceless criminal gangs will come and attack you. Faceless people are sending letters around only to put fears in your mind. We will respond swiftly to any attack and we shall be patrolling round the State.”

Odumosu gave out emergency numbers to call in case of armed robbery attacks and cautioned residents not to burn tyres on roads because such acts damage and pose health risks to children and the sick.

The numbers are: 09010512385, 09010512286, 09010512287 and 09010512288.

The police chief said the security agencies had been carrying out land and aerial surveillance to ensure the safety of residents during the lockdown imposed by the Federal Government to tackle the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Some of the areas visited by Odumosu and his team of combat-ready policemen include Ikotun, Pako-Ijesha, Igando, Mushin, Surulere, Festac Town, Idimu, Ikeja, Ojodu, Berger, Ogba, Fadeyi, and Onipanu among others.