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AIG Kokumo Visits Lagos Police Command, Insists on Serious Handling of Security Matters
By Oki Samson
Since his assumption of office in May, 2021 as the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2 (comprising Lagos and Ogun states), AIG Johnson Kokumo has been vibrant with activities targeted at security and protection of lives and properties. Yesterday, 19th August, he was able to attain his first, official 1-day familiarization tour to the Lagos State Police Command under the administration of CP Hakeem Odumosu.
Speaking during the visit, AIG Johnson Kokumo praised the government of Lagos state for the towering support for Police, ‘I appreciate the government of Lagos state for logistic support of the Nigeria Police, Lagos State Command. I was at the commissioning of vehicles and other operational equipment when our President Muhammadu Buhari visited. I can see that the equipment have been distributed for effective use.’
‘We thank the Lagos State Government for doing this and seize the opportunity to request for more because security is not a business that can be handled with levity. It has to be handled with seriousness. That is why our serious-minded Governor has given us support to do our job. I want to quickly advise that ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’, we should resolve within ourselves to curb criminality and reduce it to barest minimum.’
He charged the Police officers and men to desist from getting involved in activities beyond their purview. ‘I want to admonish you to stay clear of civil matters. The criminal matters before us are large in volume. You should avoid dabbling in civil matters under whatever guise.’
He continued: ‘I want to commend the efforts of Commissioner of Police, Lagos in the area of training and of course, the 50-bed accommodation that is under construction. It is highly commendable, please keep it up. Your request for logistic support to IGP Usman Alkali Baba has been taken and I will table your request before him and see what we can possibly do to impact positively in area of logistic support for Lagos State Command. I appreciate the IGP Usman Alkali Baba for giving us all we require to work in Lagos and Ogun states effectively. Everything that we require will be communicated officially.’
Earlier in his welcome address to the visiting superior, Commissioner of Police Hakeem Odumosu stated: ‘The Command has been relatively calm. It has been peaceful and crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, and others have been tackled head-on. In the midst of this, the Command through the Grace of God, unrelenting efforts of officers and men, with strategic partners, and synergy of other sister agencies and members of the public have been able to record tremendous achievements to the admiration of the government and good people of Lagos state in particular and the country in general.’
Describing the return of AIG of Zone 2, AIG Johnson Kokumo to Lagos as second home coming since he left Lagos in 2016 as DCP (Operations), he added: ‘All these achievements could not have been possible but for your highly dedicated leadership and close mentorship which you have bestowed on the Command since assumption of duty as Supervisory AIG. The Command has not only keyed into your zero-tolerance for crime and respect for fundamental human rights but has continued to take from your wealth of experience which you have in your magnanimity made available to the Command. This, we shall continue to cherish.’
CP Odumosu presented the record of achievements of the Lagos Command to his superior, AIG Kokumo, ‘Lagos State Command was able to successfully manage the Yoruba Nation rally on 3rd of July to prevent breakdown of law and order in a civilized and professional manner. Also what many pessimists have anticipated will be a major political crisis before, during, and after the recently concluded LG/LCDA polls turned out to be a song of success. It is free, fair, and credible made possible due to the watertight security provided.’
The Lagos CP also noted that there is an ongoing 50-bed space building for the welfare of officers ‘to accommodate officers who were just posted into the state before they are deployed into their various areas and so that they can have a sense of belonging. This is done by the support of law-abiding citizens, associations and stakeholders. It will be completed and ready for use in the next few weeks.’
The Lagos Command which started in 1967 with 4 area commands and 23 divisions has grown into 14 area commands, 110 police divisions, and 74 police posts. The Command is also 17,907-personnel strong and is very strategic to the security of the city reputed to be West Africa’s economic hub. In the year 2021, the men and officers of the Command have gotten 232 armed robbery suspects arrested, 16 armed robbers died in encounter with Police, while 94 arms and 238 ammunitions were recovered. Also, 118 cultists were arrested while 14 cultism cases were recorded, and 176 murder suspects have also been arrested in 148 cases of murder. The 2021 record also showed that 283 suspects have been charged to court, 39 vehicles were recovered and returned to their owners and no life of any policeman was lost.
CP Hakeem Odumosu also thanked Gov. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and the Lagos State Government for the support that the Command has enjoyed so far.
Senior Management team of Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos Police Command management, representative of the Zonal Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Rev. Tosin Shobowale, Lagos PCRC Chairman, Apostle Kehinde Showemimo and many other dignitaries were present at the event to honour the Zonal Assistant Inspector-General of Police.
The Defence Headquarters has said the recent kidnap incident in Oyo State was carried out by terrorists displaced from other parts of the country following intensified military operations.
The military high command stated this on Thursday while reacting to what it described as “mischievous and misleading publications” surrounding comments credited to the Defence Headquarters on the classification of terrorists and criminal elements operating in the South-West.
In a statement signed by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, the DHQ said the attackers behind the Oyo abduction were members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad terrorist group displaced by sustained military offensives across the country.
“The recent incidence of kidnap in Oyo State was clearly perpetrated by terrorists of the JAS Group that have been dislodged from other parts of the country due to high-intensity operations being conducted all over,” the statement read.
The DHQ denied reports suggesting it referred to terrorists operating in the South-West as ordinary criminals, insisting that such interpretations were inaccurate and misleading.
“It is, therefore, inaccurate and misleading to suggest that the Defence Headquarters, at any point, referred to vicious and violent terrorists as criminals,” Onoja stated.
The military said its earlier clarification on security developments in the South-West was aimed at providing an intelligence-based context to avoid misinformation and unnecessary panic among residents.
It also stressed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remained committed to supporting constitutional governance and protecting democratic institutions.
“At no time did the Defence Headquarters undermine the authority of any democratically elected leader or seek to diminish the gravity of the heinous crime committed against innocent citizens by terrorist elements,” the statement added.
The DHQ further disclosed that troops remained actively deployed across affected areas in collaboration with other security agencies and local stakeholders to dismantle terrorist and criminal networks threatening national peace and stability.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain resolute in dismantling all criminal and terrorist networks threatening the peace, stability and unity of the nation,” the statement said.
The clarification followed recent attacks on communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where armed terrorists abducted pupils, teachers and other residents from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle.
The incident also left several persons dead, while one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed after a video linked to the attack surfaced online.
Fresh facts have emerged over the abduction of school pupils and the killing of two teachers alongside an okada rider in Ahoro-Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as investigators uncovered how suspected informants allegedly maintained communication with the abductors through telephone conversations.
The Oyo State Police Command disclosed that investigators tracked the suspects through calls believed to have been exchanged with the bandits during and after the operation.
According to the police, the conversations allegedly contained details on how the criminals could successfully navigate routes within the National Park to hidden locations used as safe havens.
The breakthrough led to the arrest of no fewer than six suspects, who are currently in police custody and assisting security agencies with ongoing investigations into the gruesome incident.
Confirming the development on Tuesday morning, the State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the suspects were apprehended during coordinated security operations across different locations in the State.
“We have six suspects in custody and they are assisting the investigation,” Ayanlade said.
He added that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly served as informants to the bandits responsible for the abduction and killings.
“Our findings showed that some of the suspects were in contact with the abductors through telephone conversations and investigators are analysing those communications as part of efforts to uncover the full network behind the crime,” he stated.
Ayanlade further disclosed that security agencies uncovered discussions allegedly centred on routes through the National Park and locations believed to have been used by the criminals as hideouts.
“The conversations contained information on how the abductors could move through the National Park undetected and reach safe locations,” he added.
The police spokesman explained that the suspects were arrested during joint operations involving the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Agro-Rangers.
“The arrests were made possible through intelligence-driven operations carried out by joint security operatives working collaboratively to dismantle the criminal network,” Ayanlade said.
He assured residents that security agencies were intensifying efforts to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate linked to the attack.
“We are committed to ensuring that every individual connected to this criminal act is identified, arrested and brought to justice. Investigations are still ongoing,” he said.
The incident, which claimed the lives of two teachers and an Okada rider while school pupils were abducted last Friday, has continued to generate concern among residents of the affected communities and neighbouring areas in Oyo State.
Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has confirmed that one of the teachers abducted during the recent terrorist attack on schools in Oriire LGA of the state, has been killed in captivity.
Speaking on Sunday during a press briefing on the incident, Makinde described the situation as “difficult and challenging”, saying the state government is intensifying efforts to rescue the remaining victims.
On Friday, gunmen riding motorcycles invaded communities within the Ahoro-Esiele/Yawota axis of Oriire, Ogbomoso, and abducted students and staff members of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, L.A. Primary School, Esiele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.
The attack left an assistant headmaster, identified as Joel Adesiyan, and a commercial motorcyclist dead.
According to Makinde, a video received by the state government confirmed the killing of one of the abductees identified as a mathematics teacher.
“What we know is that seven teachers in all were abducted and unfortunately, we got a video this morning that one of the teachers, the maths teacher, was killed by the terrorists this morning,” Makinde said.
Authorities have yet to confirm the exact number of schoolchildren abducted.
In the aftermath of the incident, videos recorded from captivity began circulating on social media, showing abducted teachers pleading with the government and Nigerians for urgent intervention.
One of the viral videos featured Rachael Alamu, principal of Community High School, Esiele, appealing to the government to help secure the release of the victims before they are killed.
Makinde detailed that six persons had been arrested within the affected locality over alleged links to the attackers, and that another three “persons of interest” were also arrested in connection with the attack.
“The information available from the Commissioner of Police is that six individuals have been arrested within the locality. Some of them were believed to perhaps be informants to people running logistics for the terrorists,” he said.
Following the attack, the Oyo Police Command announced the commencement of an intensive manhunt and rescue operation involving multiple security agencies.
Makinde said personnel of the police, military, the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun, and local hunters were mobilised immediately to pursue the attackers.
The governor said, however, some Amotekun operatives sustained injuries after encountering improvised explosive devices planted by the terrorists during the operation.
“After the incident, Amotekun, the police, military and hunters were mobilised to go after the terrorists and it was along that line that they ran into IEDs and some of the Amotekun operatives were wounded,” he said.
Sources told TheCable that the terrorists had initially opened fire on the security operatives who were approaching the Old Oyo national park on motorcycles, causing them to flee.
“When the shooting subsided, the operatives decided to go for their motorbikes. Unfortunately, a dynamite exploded against one Amotekun corps member and he was wounded. He has been taken to the hospital for medical attention,” a source said.
“Apart from air raid, the Old Oyo National Park Area can’t be easily accessed through infantry. It’s a long distance from the Oowe River which forms a natural landmark boundary for the park. Motorcycles would have to be used for the journey, but the noise of the approaching motorcycles alerted the terrorists.”
Makinde linked the attack to increasing pressure being mounted on terrorist groups in the north-east, warning that fleeing armed groups are moving into other parts of the country, including the south-west.
“With the pressure on the terrorists in the north-east theatre, they will keep moving southwards. Today, the governor of Kwara state has spoken to me. But the problem we have is that when you have pressure in one place, we must be prepared on this side to either repel or neutralise any terrorists fleeing the pressure,” he said.
The governor harped on the need for sustained government and security presence in vulnerable communities, warning that temporary military operations without long-term security measures could leave residents exposed to future attacks.
“If all we can do is clearance operations for a week or two and leave that place, the terrorists will come back and the people will become vulnerable,” he said.
He assured residents that the state government would be deploying military and non-military strategies to secure the release of the abducted victims and tackle the growing security threat.
“We have decided that we will adopt not just the kinetic approach. We have not taken this lightly,” he added.
Makinde also appealed for calm and patience from residents, acknowledging the complexity of the operation.
“I want to appeal to everyone that we are doing everything within our power to ensure that this would be resolved quickly and we bring our children back safely, but it is a very difficult and challenging situation so there may not be quick fixes,” he added.
Source: TheCable
