The Senate on Tuesday advised the Federal Government to direct the Inspector of Police to immediately instruct the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State to beef up the strength of the task force already on ground in order to effectively secure creeks and communities especially in Lagos East Senatorial District.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly also advise the Federal Government to direct the Inspector General of Police to make available sufficient helicopters and gunboats for aerial surveillance to the Marine Police department of the Lagos State Police Command to enable them effectively tackle the activities of militants.
They urge the Nigerian Army, Navy and other security agencies to assist the Nigeria Police in its quest to rid Lagos State, particularly the creeks in Lagos East Senatorial District of criminal syndicates making use of its waterways to perpetrate crime.
The development follows a motion on urgent need for the Nigeria Police and other Security Agencies to intervene in the increase rate of kidnapping in Lagos East Senatorial District and secure the waterways sponsored by Senator Gbenga Ashafa.
The lawmaker expressed grave concern on the recent increase in the activities of criminal syndicates who specializes in kidnapping and militant activities in and around communities in the Lagos East Senatorial District particularly, Epe, Ikorodu, Ibeju Lekki Local Government Areas. “The activities of these criminals have force law-abiding residents of coastal and riverine communities of the affected to flee their communities and livelihood out of fear” Ashafa said.
He further stated that on Friday 7th April 2017, one Ademola Salami a 42 years Old plank dealer was kidnapped in Ise community in Ibeju Lekki by seven dare devil abductors who escaped in a gunboat via the river. “The abductors have now demanded the sum of N100 million as ransom for his release” Ashafa added.
The Senator noted that the situation has deteriorated so much that prominent citizens of Ise community in HRM Kabiyesi Onise of Ise, Oba Ganiyu Adegbesan had to vacate the community due to high level of insecurity in the area. “Alarmed that the recent kidnap incident has assumed a totally new and disturbing dimension in the sense that on the 9th of April 2017 an Army captain identified as Muhammed, two other rank soldiers, four policemen and a civilian lost their lives after suspected militants attacked Ishawo in Ikorodu area of Lagos State. The late security operatives were responding to a distress call after militants stormed and kidnapped some residents on Woodland Estate close to the Ishawo creeks in about 10 speedboats” Ashafa said.
In his reaction, the Senate President Bukola Saraki condemned the activities of the criminal syndicates and urges the security agencies to step up aerial surveillance in the area and other parts of the country.
