In a sweeping enforcement operation across Lagos, the state’s Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, commonly known as the Taskforce, has arrested 33 individuals suspected of engaging in criminal activities, drug peddling, and other public order violations. The coordinated raids were conducted early Monday morning, targeting hotspots along the Lekki-Epe Expressway and other areas where criminal elements had become prominent.
Raids Target Multiple Criminal Hotspots
The operation covered Ikate Bus Stop, Marwa Bus Stop, Muri Okunola Park in Victoria Island, Obalende Underbridge, Law School Junction, and adjoining locations. These sites had been identified as hubs for street urchins, miscreants, drug addicts and peddlers, illegal commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders), street traders, illegal ticket touts, and other elements threatening public safety and environmental order.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Affairs of the Taskforce, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, the enforcement aligns with the Lagos State government’s THEMES Plus Agenda, which emphasizes zero tolerance for environmental degradation, drug abuse, and criminality.
Recovered Exhibits Include Drugs and Weapons
During the operation, operatives seized a cache of items. These include substances suspected to be Tramadol, Indian hemp, Colorado, marijuana, and cannabis. Additionally, dangerous weapons such as scissors and cutlasses were recovered. Abdulraheem confirmed that all 33 suspects have been arraigned before appropriate courts under the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, and the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, where applicable.
Taskforce Chairman Vows Sustained Crackdown
Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Adetayo Akerele, who led the operation, reiterated the agency’s commitment to relentless law enforcement. “Our mandate is clear. We will continue to comb every part of the metropolis to rid Lagos of criminal elements. Anyone whose activities threaten public peace, environmental sanity or the safety of residents will be arrested and made to face the law,” Akerele stated.
He urged officers to sustain the momentum of intelligence-driven raids and intensify efforts to tackle crime across the state. The Taskforce said it would not relent in its crackdown, aiming to restore public order and environmental decency in line with government policies.
Broader Impact on Public Safety
The arrests underscore the government’s resolve to address the intersection of drug abuse, petty crime, and environmental disorder. By targeting both drug peddlers and street criminals, the operation seeks to dismantle networks that fuel insecurity in commercial and residential zones. Residents in the affected areas have welcomed the crackdown, expressing hope that sustained enforcement will reduce harassment and improve quality of life.
The Taskforce continues to call on the public to report suspicious activities, as part of a collaborative effort to maintain law and order in Africa’s largest city.
