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COVID-19: Police Arrest 153 Violators Of Face Mask, Social Distancing Protocols

The police have arrested 153 people for violating the face mask and social distancing protocols in Lagos State.

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Hakeem Odumosu, gave the figure on Tuesday while briefing reporters at the Police Headquarters in Ikeja.

He noted that 98 people were arrested for not wearing face masks and 55 others apprehended for not maintaining social distancing.

Odumosu explained that the figures were among the 769 violators arrested in the last one month for violating the COVID-19 protocols of the state government.

“On COVID-19 enforcement, the Command has successfully arrested 769 violators. Out of the number, 515 were arrested for violating curfew … and 101 arrested for interstates travel during the curfew.

“Three hundred and forty vehicles were impounded, which include 20 vehicles intercepted for inter-states travel. 1,259 motorcycles and 21 tricycles were also impounded,” he said while giving an update of the progress made by the police.

The police commissioner also disclosed that the command has arrested 50 suspects for rape, defilement, and domestic violence in various parts of the state.

He noted that two suspects were also arrested for child abuse while many others were apprehended for various crimes in the state.

On traffic robbery, he said, “Let me use this opportunity to sound a big warning to traffic robbers and one chance robbery syndicates in Lagos State, their days as numbered, we are all out for them.

“I have set up special operations to be coordinated by Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers. They will be supported by SARS operatives and Taskforce.”

Odumosu gave an assurance that the command would continue to dominate the public space and sustain the gains recorded in the fight against crime and social disorder in the state.

“Within the last one month, the command arrested 27 armed robbery suspects, 15 traffic robbery suspects and successfully foiled 22 traffic robbery attempts. Two armed robbery suspect died during exchange of fire with the police.

“We arrested 39 suspects for cultism and have successfully prevented the annual 7/7 and 8/8 celebrations by the cultists. Four suspects were arrested for kidnapping and 19 suspects were arrested for murder,” he said.

The police commissioner added, “The command prevented seven suicide attempts. 10 assorted firearms with lots of ammunition of different calibre, cutlasses, axes, other dangerous weapons and criminal charms were recovered.

“The command also recovered three stolen vehicles. We have successfully nip in the bud the menace of kidnapping, especially on the waterways.”