Alapere police arrests 80 cultists, armed robbers and kidnappers

By Ifeoma Ikem

Operative of the Alapere police division under the Lagos State police command have arrested over 80 suspected cultists, many armed robbers and kidnappers within the last three months.

All the operations were led by divisional police officer (DPO) Alapere division Gregory Ikpekhia a supritendent of police (SP) who was deploy to the division three months ago by the authorities at the state command headquarters ikeja to go over there and fight the criminals who have been giving the command and resident of Alapere and its environs sleepless night on daily basis.

The statistics on how the police crush the criminals in their various hide out within the three months period followed investigation carried by Sahara weekly correspondent who went to Alapere to find out how the police have tackle in security in the area in the past three months and also base on situation reports released to journalists by the police public relations officer of Lagos State command Bala Elkana a supritendent of police (SP) who through the directive of the commissioner of police (CP) Hakeem Odumosu has the mandate to issue release on how crime is being tackle in the state given the names of police divisions and other formation across Lagos State.

Our investigation however revealed that on weekly basis Alapere division has been getting result therefore silencing criminals in the area no doubt there has been no more reports of cultists ceasing among themselves like what we saw during and after the last general elections.

It could be recalled that no fewer than 10 suspected cultists and innocent citizens died during and after the last general elections a major reason that prompted the former commissioner of police Lagos State command Zubairu Muazu to pick an operational officer in the person of SP Gregory Ikepkhia who have a great track record of bursting criminals gang hide out especially his days with the special Anti Robbery Squad of the Lagos command to go and teach the criminal bitter lesson this decision have paid off as peace and sanity have finally return to Alapere and its environs and residents are happy about the new development .

Some residents who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity say things have change since a new divisional police officer was deploy to the area no more news of killings and cases of robbery.

A deeper investigation revealed that the operations are successful because the DPO usually go out with his anti crime team on patrol on daily basis he is one of those active officer that does not stay back in his office and sent his boys out this is a major reason they have been getting result bursting criminal blackspot making the area uncomfortable for men of the underworld.

According to our investigation a major incident occurred on the 18th of October 2019 when the divisional police officer acting on tip-off storm a popular hotel at church street Alapere and arrests no fewer than 20 cultists following the report of clash received by the division that group of suspected cultists have engaged themselves in a fight using dangerous weapons which led to serious injuries sustained by the gangsters and some innocent ones.

The division also burst criminal black spot at Demurin area of Alapere where criminals were arrested.

It is on note that the kidnappers who were arrested by the division has since been transferred to the special anti robbery squad Ikeja SARS who have taken over investigation.

Also all the cultists arrested were handed over to the Anti Cultism unit of the Lagos State command to continue investigation by our correspondents shows that guns, cutlasses and axe were recovered from the hoodlums.