Our Security Operatives Must Wake Up

With the spate of armed robbery attacks in Lagos these days, many residents are asking “what are the police doing about it?”

If policemen can no longer fight crime and protect the hapless citizens, why should billions continue to go for security votes, or why should the tax payers continue to pay for their ever increasing salaries, operational costs and allowances?

Robbers now raid from house to house and from area to area without fear of serious challenge from the security operatives who are trained and meant to protect us.

Whether the robbers operate for just a few minutes or are there for several hours, policemen, surprisingly, show up at the scene of the attack long after the robbers had fled and belongings had been carted away.

For instance, on 15 May, armed robbers raided from house to house in Ketu area of Kosofe Local Government, dispossessed many residents of their valuables and left several others with gunshot wounds.

The robbers came around 11 pm and operated till dawn in an area surrounded by three police stations, but the cops only showed up the next morning even though several calls were placed to Alapere, Ketu and Mile 12 police stations minutes after the robbery attack started.

The robbers arrived first on Davies Street at about 11 pm and snatched a car from a man who was attempting to enter his residence.

Before moving to other streets and residences, they snatched three ipads, carted away other belongings and fled under the crackle of gunshots, leaving residents petrified.

They had snatched a Nissan Xterra SUV, (silver colour with plate number FKJ520AA not far from the scene of that day’s attack when they raided the street on 21 April.

During that attack, they carted away 16 phones and a television set on that street alone and scurried to many other streets, carted away more belongings, more cars, emptied sitting rooms of their plasma TV sets, blackberry phones and money. They also shot several people in several houses.

Not too long ago, the robbers invaded Wellness Pharmacy in Ketu also and shot dead a corps member, shooting him three times (in the head, stomach and private part), and warning the dead body never to challenge them again.

The robbers have been raiding Ketu almost on daily basis but the robbery attacks are not limited to that area as they now seem frequent in many parts of the state.

Yesterday, robbers attacked a bank customer at Ikeja in broad day light. Virtually every day now, robbery attacks are recorded in many parts of Lagos and the story seems to follow the same pattern, especially in Ketu: The robbers operated for hours and policemen did not show up on time.

The robbers kill some residents, injure others and leave many petrified, including infants and children who witness the violent attacks.

Just like in Ketu, the police always claim that they do not have patrol vehicles, fuel in their cars or available drivers to pursue the robbers or even that they were not called on time.

These excuses are unacceptable in Lagos where the state government has continued to equip policemen with more patrol vehicles, new gadgets and other forms of motivation.

Truth be told, not all policemen are bad but the inability of the majority of them to protect us or to even attempt to confront the robbers leave many of us stumped and highly disappointed.

Some Lagos residents now see policemen as social security and a heavy burden on the state.

The majority of policemen in Lagos seem to be deployed to Lagos Island where the rich and influential live or their businesses are located and other areas where the majority of Lagosians reside seem to be abandoned. As a result, robbers flee from Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Ajah and Lekki and invade fertile grounds in Ketu, Ikorodu, Isolo, Okokomaiko, Shangisha, Ogba, Ojota, Maryland, Palmgroove and all other areas where there is little police presence. This is unacceptable.

We believe that the reason robbers come in the night is because there is neither electricity nor police presence. All this does not augur well for Nigeria’s state of excellence. We call on security operatives to wake up and show the same zeal they display when they harass hapless residents on the road, by confronting the robbers. They must understand that their duty is to combat crimes and make the people feel safe.