Lagos Commissioner of Police, Odumosu Hakeem has advised Landlords on the need to always screen intending tenants to avoid renting their houses to criminals.
Odumosu made the called during the 2021 Ikorodu security town hall meeting with the traditional father and stakeholder in Ikorodou axis on how to addressed the insecurity challenges in area.
He said landlords must key into the fight against insecurity in their communities.
“Screening those to be accommodated or harboured in your houses is necessary because if any of such tenant is involved in any form of crime, you will be arrested and prosecuted’’.
He also warned the traditional fathers not to come for the release of any suspect arrested or they will be detained and charge to court as well.
Odumosu said the security situation in Lagos has been commendable except in some areas within the state metropolis particularly Ikorodu area where the situation has become worrisome due to spike in cases of cultism, gangsterism, traffic robbery, ritual killings, amongst others.
According to Police boss, no few than 242 armed robbers and cultists were arrested in the local government within the last six months while 28 arms and 120 ammunitions were recovered.
He said 192 cultism cases and 18 murder cases were also recorded in the period under review while 25 robbery incidents were foiled.
Speaking on the way forward, Odumosu said, “The Local Government Council in Ikorodu must occupy the front line in combating crimes in the area.
“Also their constitutional responsibilities cannot be jettisoned in the fight against cultism and crimes in general.
“The traditional institution in the division must be up and doing in condemning the activities of the bad boys (cultists), instead of supporting and celebrating them and their criminal acts.
He pointed that all traditionalists and traditional worshippers in this area must stop promoting and protecting the criminals in Ikorodu axis and Lagos State in general.
The ideas of fortifying the bad boys and providing native charms for them are counterproductive to our security architecture in this area. Their powers must be used to assist us not to jeopardise our efforts.
“The religious bodies must use all their platforms, links and ideological perspectives to promote peace and security in the state and Nigeria at large. The idea of preaching prosperity at the detriment of salvation is counterproductive to security of lives and properties in our contemporary society.”
His Royal Majesty, the Adegorushen of Igbogbo, Oba Semiudeen Kasali, commended the efforts of the Commissioner on community policing which has yielded positive results.
He stressed that the current situation on rampage of cultists, Gangstars, pickpockets, armed robbery and social vices is worrisome which have reached its pick across the division.
“I will advise everyone to join hands to fight against the activities of criminals in our communities because it has given wrong reputation across Ikorodu and it axis, he noted.
The chairman of Ikorodu Oga Development Association, Segun Abiru, called for synergy between police and her sister agencies in the division to work as a team to curb the menace of insecurity in Ikorodu.
Abiru urged the NDLEA to constantly raid all joints where hard drugs are sold in Ikorodu and also discourage the sale of stimulants that boost them to perpetrate in vices.
“I will also suggest the local vigilante is engaged in the fight against the war of gangsterism and cultists because they are with us .