Lagos Taskforce Arrests 33 Suspects In Crackdown On Crime, Drug Peddling

The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, popularly known as the Lagos Taskforce, has arrested 33 suspected criminals during a coordinated enforcement operation across key parts of the state.

The operation, carried out in the early hours of Monday, targeted street urchins, suspected drug addicts and peddlers, illegal commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders), street traders, ticket touts, and other individuals alleged to be involved in criminal activities.

Areas covered included Ikate Bus Stop, Marwa Bus Stop, Muri Okunola Park in Victoria Island, Obalende Underbridge, Law School Junction, and adjoining locations along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

According to the Taskforce, officers recovered suspected illicit drugs, including Tramadol, Indian hemp, Colorado, marijuana, and cannabis, as well as dangerous weapons such as cutlasses and scissors during the operation.

The agency said the exercise restored normalcy in the affected areas and that all 33 suspects have been arraigned before the appropriate courts under the provisions of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, and the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, where applicable.

Speaking after the operation, the Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Adetayo Akerele, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to combating criminality across the state.
“There is no room for criminality in Lagos State.

Those engaged in criminal activities should either desist or relocate. We remain committed to enforcing the laws of the state and ensuring that residents continue to enjoy a safe, secure, and orderly environment,” he said.

Akerele also urged officers to sustain the ongoing enforcement drive, directing them to intensify intelligence-led operations against criminal elements across Lagos.

The Taskforce reiterated its commitment to maintaining law and order through continuous enforcement operations aimed at improving public safety and environmental sanity across the state.