The Lagos State Police Command has began a manhunt for hoodlums who looted public and private businesses across the state in the wake of violence that marred protest against police brutality and extra-judicial killings, arresting 720 so far.
As gathered, no fewer than 720 suspected looters and EndSARS protests hijackers were said to have been arrested by police operatives during the manhunt that was carried out by the 14 police formations across the state.
While 720 suspected looters were arrested, it was learnt that incriminating items including locally-made guns and life cartridges, charms, weed suspected to be Indian hemp, substances suspected to be cocaine, and some items suspected to have been looted from various shopping outlets within the state during the recent Endsars violence were recovered.
The Guild gathered that the manhunt was coming after the police command relaunched its anti-crime strategies to curb crimes and criminality across the state after the orgy of violence that was visited on Lagos.
Confirming the arrest, the state’s commissioner of police, Hakeem Odumosu, said that the manhunt on Sunday was carried out simultaneously on identified black spots, believed to be harbouring criminals and hoodlums across the 14 Area Commands in Lagos State.
Through a statement by the command’s spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, the police boss said that the command would sustain the operations beyond the yuletide season, adding that the officers would stop at nothing in moving against lawlessness and criminality in Lagos.
“CP Hakeem Odumosu has however directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of SCID, Panti, to commence discreet investigation on the arrested suspects for immediate prosecution. He also urged those whose items were looted during the recent Endsars violence to come up for claims of their items with proof of ownership.
“The police chief commended the officers and men of the command for the successful operations, while he charged them to be at alert for more operations across the state,’’ the statement said.