By DEBORAH AKPEDE

The Police Command in Lagos State has inaugurated the “Command Sweepers Squad”, a special tactical unit aimed at curbing the surge in crime in Ikorodu and nearby communities.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, made this known in a statement on Monday in Lagos.

She said the initiative, introduced under the Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Tijani, followed growing complaints from residents about a surge in crime across parts of Ikorodu.

“The squad is a temporary intervention security outfit established to restore public confidence and strengthen security operations in the area.

“The outfit comprises officers drawn from various tactical formations of the command, including the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Eko Strike Force, 2 PMF, 22 PMF, and 63 PMF, alongside personnel from other security agencies and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).

“The squad has been strategically stationed in Ijede to ensure rapid deployment and easy access to all parts of Ikorodu and neighbouring communities for swift crime prevention and emergency response operations,” she said.

According to her, the squad has been equipped with operational vehicles and three Armoured Personnel Carriers recently donated to the command by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund to enhance operational effectiveness.

She explained that operatives had already been deployed to identify black spots and criminal hideouts, and were conducting intelligence-led raids, stop-and-search operations, as well as confidence-building patrols aimed at flushing out criminal elements and protecting lives and property.

The spokesperson said that CP Tijani assured residents that the operations would be carried out professionally and in line with the rule of law.

The image maker urged the public to remain vigilant and support security agencies with timely and credible information through the command’s emergency lines: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264, 08039344870, and 09168630929. (NAN)