Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday stormed the riverine area of Ishawo Community in Ikorodu, Lagos, to commence total demolition of shanties within the area, used by militants.
Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, told newsmen that a combined team of the State Marine Police, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the anti-kidnapping squad as well as local vigilante group, had arrested 13 suspected kidnappers.
His words: “Following the attack that occurred at Ishawo where we lost four of our policemen and army captain, we have deployed operatives in the water.
“What you have seen now is for us to appraise what we have been doing for the past one week.
”Quality arrests have been made. They are talking to us, at least that makes us to know who we are looking for so that we won’t be just wild catching.
“This morning, operatives were able to get to the proper camps of these criminal elements where they caught some of them cooking food. A few others fled immediately they saw the combined team.
“We just feel that we should take a decision to destroy the camps. The destruction of the camps are ongoing.
“Officers are right inside the creeks now and at the end of the day, they would share the story as they finish that operations.
“But our movement here is just for you to see the terrain and see what the security operatives are facing with regards to policing this environment and destruction of these shanties.
“The 13 suspects we have are making useful statements for us and we are making progress; you can see that helicopter surveillance is also supporting.
“We want to assure members of the public around this axis that government is ready, security agents are ready to ensure that we put an end to the madness of these criminal elements”.
Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Tunji Disu, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Habib Aruna, security squad leaders among others accompanied Owoseni to the area.
