Residents of Ilashe, Ibeshe, Irede, Irewe/Osolu, Igboologun and Takwa Bay in Oriade Local Council Development Area, Amuwo Odufin, Lagos State, may soon be able to sleep with their two eyes closed.

Policemen deployed to the newly constructed Area Command Headquarters have vowed to fight crime on the waterways in the area.

The communities were hitherto known for notorious crimes such as oil bunkering, kidnapping and smuggling.

But the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said his men were poised to combat crime on the waterways.

The sea, which spreads from Lagos Island to Badagry and Republic of Benin, encourages oil blundering and other criminals activities, but the recent inauguration of the Area ‘L’ Command Headquarters is expected to boost security across the border towns in the area.

It was learnt that criminals often hide under the inability of security operatives to assess the areas, which made life difficult for the inhabitants. But with the inauguration of the newly built Area ‘L’ Command Headquarters, residents of the areas can now sleep with their two eyes closed.

On September 11, 2019, at Ogunfeyinmi community, in Ilashe area, a father of four, Mr. Godwin Gregory, was allegedly shot and killed by naval personnel who were chasing some suspected oil bunkerers in the community. Gregory was not the only one killed in the coastal communities by some of the security agencies.

The Police Commissioner, Odumosu, said the newly constructed Area ‘L’ Police Command would reduce crimes and other activities in the area.

The police chief said with the inauguration of the Area ‘L’ Command Headquarters, activities of criminal elements on the waterways would reduce drastically, especially by sea pirates and kidnappers.

Odumosu also said his commitment as the commissioner was to ensure safety of lives and property of the citizens in line with the state government’s dream of repositioning Lagos as one of the most rescued mega cities of the world.

He said: “The establishment of the Area ‘L’ Command was a significant milestone and a symbolic manifestation of the state government’s avowed promise to secure lives and property of residents and create a favourable working environment for the officers and men deployed to the command in order to deliver their statutory responsibilities.

“It was gratifying to state that the proximity of the police stations to communities within the Area Command would reduce the police response to their security needs. Crime and criminalities in the area would be brought down to the barest minimum as a result of the detachment of policemen deployed to man the area to fight crimes.”

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the inauguration of the Police Command Headquarters at Ilashe would boost security across border towns.

He said: “The command would serve as the operational headquarters and provides security services to all riverine communities in the Oriade Local Council Development Area (LCDA).”

The structure, which was equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, was built and donated to the police by the state government.

Sanwo-Olu said the command was strategically positioned in the Ilashe community to improve security on waterways and strengthen the capacity of the police to efficiently combat criminalities in the border towns.

The governor vowed that his administration would spare no effort to make Lagos safer for investments and living, pledging that more resources would be committed to fortify security operations across the state in line with his government’s agenda to improve socio-economic well-being of Lagos residents through good governance.

He said: “The commissioning of Area ‘Headquarters would further strengthen the capacity of our security network with the synergy of other sister agencies to effectively monitor the activities of miscreants, smugglers, pipeline vandals, kidnappers and sea pirates, who pose a serious threat to the economic wellbeing of our state.

“I am extremely delighted with the level of progress we have achieved in building and sustaining the security infrastructure in Lagos, given the challenges we face in terms of controlling crimes in inner cities and boundary communities.

The command would now fully commence regular operations that will be targeted at ensuring safety and security on our waterways, while also deploying personnel to dislodge criminals from creeks and riverside communities.”

Sanwo-Olu, however, charged Odumosu to deploy “highly professional and disciplined” personnel for the operations in the area, noting that his administration would not condone any form of intimidation, coercion or molestation of law-abiding residents by security operatives.

Area “L” was the 18th Police Command to be established in Lagos by the Office of the Inspector General of Police (IG) after granting the state government’s “special status” request, which led to the increase in number of security personnel deployed to the state.

The governor also commended the Commissioner of Police, Odumosu, for patrolling the state at night when most people would be sleeping.

According to him, the commissioner would be awake when others are sleeping in order to make sure the state is secured.

He added: “I also want to appreciate the command for partnering with the state government in the area of traffic control.

“The commissioner of police in a short-while in Lagos has performed creditably well. I want to urge the police to properly make use of the edifice. Because my fear is the maintenance of the structure, everything that would make the police work effectively well has already been provided for them.”

One of the community leaders, Mr. Omolade Olugbeje, commended Odumosu and the state government for the establishment of the Area Command in their community, which would make them to have access to the police and prevent crimes and other vices.

He said: “With the befitting structure with adequate logistics, we can now sleep with our eyes closed. Whenever we have complaints to make, it always takes us time and energy to get to town. But with the Area Command behind us, we are good to go and transact our businesses without fear.”

Odumosu also urged the people to eschew violence and live in peace with one another. He called on the people to be vigilant and report suspicious movements and persons to the police.

The commissioner his command would unleash the full weight of the law on any person or group of persons bend on breaching the peace of the coastal communities. (New Telegraph)