September 24, (THEWILL) –Â The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the death of one of his senior officers, CSP Kazeem Sumonu Abonde, who was attacked and killed “during a raid on criminal hideouts” in Ajao Estate, Lagos State on Thursday 23rd September, 2021..
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the incident happened when tactical teams of the Command comprising men drawn from RRS, Taskforce, Ajao Estate Division and other divisions were carrying out raid of identified flashpoints and enforcing the ban on use of motorcycles in restricted areas in the Estate and similar places in the State.
Ajisebutu said the exercise was a routine proactive approach aimed at curtailing activities of armed robbers and other criminal elements in the State, adding that similar exercises were carried out in the past in other parts of the state which have resulted in reduction in crimes in the areas.
“After the successful operations which led to the arrest of some of the suspects, other criminal elements and hoodlums in their large number laid siege to the exit of the Estate and attacked the policemen with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
“Unfortunately, during the fatal attack, CSP Kazeem Sumonu Abonde attached to the Operations Department of the Command was brutally killed by the hoodlums.
“The DPO Ajao Estate, CSP Abdullahi Malla and other Police officers equally sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“The corpse of the deceased officer has been deposited at the Yaba Mainland Hospital for autopsy.
“While condemning the attack, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu noted that the policemen were carrying out legitimate duty at the time. He said a discreet investigation into the incident will be carried out immediately. The CP has equally vowed to ensure that all suspects responsible for the dastardly act would be brought to book soon.
“The Commissioner of Police has promised that this mournful incident would not dampen the morale of the Command or discourage it from carrying out its statutory duties of protecting lives and property of the Citizens in Lagos State”, the statement read.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the task force, CSP Shola Jejeloye, in a statement issued on Thursday by the Head, Public Affairs Unit, Femi Moliki, reiterated the unit’s resolve not rest on its oars until commercial motorcyclists’ penchant to disregard traffic rules and regulations is drastically reduced in the state.
Moliki saud the clampdown on Okada was part of the task force’s effort at checking the menace of Okada riders.
According to him, okada operators are recalcitrant, as they have continued to operate on the expressway, and even park indiscriminately, thereby obstructing free flow of traffic.
He listed Ikeja along on Agege Motor Road, 2nd Rainbow, Iyana- Isolo, Toyota Bus Stop, and Mile 2, along Oshodi-Apapa expressway as areas the motorcyclists have continued to operate in total disregard to extant laws.
Giving a breakdown of motorcyclists impounded, Moliki said a total of 410 motorcycles were impounded between last week and Wednesday, September 22 on prohibited routes, while 300 were impounded last week and 110 seized on Wednesday.
He explained that operatives of the agency carried out enforcement in Isolo, Ojodu–Berger, Ojota, Lagos Island and Surulere last week, while the enforcement drive of the agency was also extended to 2nd Rainbow, where it seized 110 motorcycles on Wednesday.
