The Lagos State Police Command said on Friday that the force had made adequate security arrangements?ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities.??
The command announced that special?security?strategies have been evolved to secure public places, including worship centres, markets, departmental stores, parks, gardens?and event venues during the period.??
DSP Ngozi Braide, spokesperson of?the command, disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. ?
“Tight security is in place, as well as?intensified motorised patrols, while?undercover operatives have been deployed to strategic places all over the state,” Braide said.??
The spokesperson added that the command, in collaboration with the FRSC, had designed?measures?to ensure the safety of residents?and motorists on the highways during the period. ?
He?expressed happiness that the ban on the operation of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, on highways by the state government had drastically reduced the crime rate by?about 90 per cent. ?
“The ban on Okada has contributed to the reduction of armed robbery by 90 per cent. This is because the? command has witnessed a drastic drop in robbery cases .
“Kidnappings too have been reduced as a result of?the ban, because after abduction, the victims are usually moved around on?Okada. ?
“Most of the places where they keep their victims are not motorable and are far from the metropolis,” she said.??
Braide added that the kidnap?victims have also been spared the trauma of using commercial motorcycles to get to their final destinations. ?
She, however, called on members of the public to always be on the alert and report?the movements of suspicious persons or groups to the nearest police station. (NAN)