159 suspected hoodlums arrested, 8 cops injured

Suspected hoodlums arrested  by men of the Lagos State Task Force at Oshodi this morning. PHOTO: KAZEEM UGBODAGA.

FILE PHOTO: Suspected hoodlums arrested by men of the Lagos State Task Force at Oshodi PHOTO: KAZEEM UGBODAGA.

Kazeem Ugbodaga

FILE PHOTO: Suspected hoodlums arrested  by men of the Lagos State Task Force at Oshodi PHOTO: KAZEEM UGBODAGA.
FILE PHOTO: Suspected hoodlums arrested by men of the Lagos State Task Force at Oshodi PHOTO: KAZEEM UGBODAGA.

Suspected hoodlums have injured eight policemen in a raid on a criminal hideout at Iddo Terminus, while 159 suspects were arrested by the State’s taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit.

But the taskforce dismissed rumour that some hoodlums were killed during the raid, which took place on Wednesday at Iddo Terminus, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

Taskforce Chairman, Olubukola Abey, a Chief Superintendent of Police, said the taskforce officers had stormed the area at about 2.00am on Wednesday and carried out an operation, in line with the directive by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to rid Lagos of criminals and criminality.

But the Taskforce boss said on getting to the area, his men encountered fierce resistance from the miscreants who attacked them with petrol bomb bottles and other offensive weapons.

He said as a result of the attack, eight police personnel sustained various injuries such as fire burns while one brigade officer of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) sustained gunshot wound.

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Abey said the policemen however held their ground and succeeded in penetrating the enclave and arrested 159 suspects, recovered one English Pump Action gun, two locally made pistols, two expended cartridges and four unexpended cartridges.

“They also impounded 125 motorcycles and destroyed an illegal petrol bunkering barge,” he said.

The Task Force Chairman however noted that one unidentified male was reportedly crushed by a DAF truck with Reg. No. LKJ 797 XA while trying to escape from the scene.

He said the injured officers were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention and have been discharged, while the officer with gunshot injury is still recuperating.

He said the suspects have been charged to court.

“The Lagos State Government wishes to reiterate its resolve to bring crime and criminality to the barest minimum and urges Lagosians to support security agencies to achieve the desired result,” he said.

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