The Police Commissioner in Lagos, CP Fatai Owoseni, on Tuesday expressed worries that no less than 220 murder cases were recorded between January and November in the state.

Owoseni said this at the 9th Lagos State Security Trust Fund town hall meeting held at the Civic Centre, Lagos.

He said that majority of them were caused by cultists and street fighting.

According to Owoseni, 26 out of them were recorded in Surulere area and 25 in Ijede, stressing that 27 cases were recorded in January and 15 in March.

He said 41 cultism cases were recorded, out of which eight took place in Surulere, Ijede in Ikorodu area, while Ogudu and Lagos Island recorded five cases each.

The commissioner said 44 armed robbery cases, 24 traffic robbery, 25 cases of kidnapping, 335 stolen vehicles were recorded during same period.

Owoseni said the command prevented 125 incidents of armed robbery, recovered 233 vehicles, arrest 25 kidnappers, 375 armed robbers, killed 40 suspected armed robbers during exchange of gun fires with the police and rescued 24 kidnapped victims.

“We arrested 113 suspected cultists, seven impersonators, 10 pipeline vandals, recovered 216 different types of guns, two gunboats, two canoes, 1,555 different calibres of ammunition/cartridges and assorted items valued at N1.3 billion.

“Prosecution of a large number of the arrested suspects is ongoing in different courts in the state, while those whose cases are still under investigations have been remanded in various police custody.

The commissioner commended the Lagos State Government and security stakeholders for the support they have been continued to accord the State Police Command.

He assured them that the equipment provided by the state government would be optimally used for the safety of lives and properties of the citizens

Mr Oye Hassan-Odukale, Chairman of the Lagos State security Trust Fund said the theme of the meeting, ‘Refreshing our security model,’ was a model of resourcing the police and other security agencies.

Hassan-Odukale said the model was to ensure that the maintenance of safe and orderly environment that will guarantee the prosperity of all.

The Executive Secretary of the Trust Fund, Dr Abdurrazaq Balogun said the fund was a demonstration of the state government’s efforts to tackle insecurity in the state.

“There is no stronger way to demonstrate the resolve of the state government to ensure that the state continues to be the number one destination for investors in West Africa and Africa in general.”

Also, an eight-man committee to serve as the Board of Trustees for the Lagos State Security Trust Fund was inaugurated on Tuesday morning by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode. (NAN)

•Photo shows CP Owoseni.

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