12th February, 2014
Cyriacus Izuekwe
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Umar Manko has said the effort of the police will be a waste if the criminal justice system is not reformed.
Manko stated this on Tuesday while speaking on the achievements and challenges of the Lagos State police Command in 2013.
He said “our criminal justice system should be reformed in such a manner that would guarantee faster and impartial dispensation of justice to all parties concerned regardless of societal status.
“A situation where these hoodlums are taken to court and a few weeks later, they are seen again in the society is a big concern.”
Manko urged that appropriate punishment should be meted out to criminals found guilty by the courts at all times to guarantee the sanctity of the society and promote rule of law.
He admitted that criminals have gone sophisticated and urged that the futuristic internal security plan for Lagos State and indeed Nigeria must involve a paradigm shift in method and strategies including acquisition of modern equipment to fight crime in the society.
He said the police in Lagos State have successfully reduced crime, adding that this was made possible due to careful planing and training of officers who did their best to reduce the crime.
Manko noted that crime rate reduced drastically in 2013 compared to 2012.
He stated that in 2012, the total number of reported crime rate was 509 which reduced to 278 in 2013. He said crime reduced areas such as kidnapping, breach of public peace, bribery and corruption, burglary, unnatural offences and armed robbery.
The police boss, however, regretted that there was increase in cases such as murders, manslaughters, assaults, rape and indecent assault.
Manko stated that in 2013, the police arrested 472 armed robbery suspects, recovered 16,034 ammunition and 146 armed robbers died during gun fights with the police.
In the same period, he stated that 919 stolen vehicles were recovered, while 254 were snatched and 272 vehicles were removed from parks.
He said in 2013, 154 armed robbery incidents happened and 390 cases of armed robbery were foiled and 39 police officers were killed during battles with armed robbers.
He assured that the police will continue to improve to get rid of criminals in the state.