Residents of Agege in Lagos State are worried that innocent people may be unjustly arrested and punished in the ongoing police raids targeting criminal hideouts.

Residents Panic as Police Raid Lagos Dark Spots

In interviews with PUNCH Metro on Monday, residents shared their concerns while observing the CP Tactical Team’s raid along the Agege rail line and surrounding areas.

The state Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, visited the Agege rail line on Saturday for a fact-finding mission after receiving complaints about petty robberies in the area. Following this visit, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, announced on X.com that the CP had ordered a revamp of security in the area.

“Worried by complaints of harassment and petty robberies along the rail lines in Agege, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Adegoke Fayoade, embarked on a fact-finding visit to the area. He has since ordered a rejig of the security architecture in the area, charging DPOs within the vicinity to ensure optimal provision of security,” Hundeyin stated.

During the raid, our correspondent observed that at least 10 people, including passers-by and those suspected of dubious activities, were arrested.

A resident named Segun told our correspondent that while the police action was necessary due to the frequent petty robberies, he feared that innocent people might be unjustly targeted. “I am happy that the police are carrying out this raid because the petty robbers are becoming rampant in this area. My only concern is the approach deployed by the police which is just stopping people based on suspicion and arresting them. The police should reconsider their approach so that innocent persons will not be made to suffer,” Segun said.

Another resident, Akeem, urged the police to properly scrutinize suspects to avoid unjust arrests. “It is good the police are carrying out the raid because this place at night is usually a dreaded spot. Once it is 7 pm, you cannot walk without fear. But the issue is that those miscreants who carry out the petty robberies do not come out during the day. They operate at night. So if the police want to crack down on the real culprits, they should come at night. This daylight raid may lead to the arrest of innocent citizens. Meanwhile, they should scrutinize the suspects arrested so that innocent persons are not unjustly punished,” Akeem said.

When contacted, CP Fayoade reassured residents in a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Monday that measures had been implemented to ensure innocent people are not unjustly arrested and punished. He added that any innocent persons mistakenly arrested would be promptly released. “The operation is a tactical one that is being supervised by a senior police officer in the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. We will make sure that innocent persons are not arrested and when there is an instance of such, they will be promptly released,” Fayoade said.

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