News Obiaks News

The newly posted Imo State Police Commissioner (CP), Taiwo Federick Lakanu, who is also a lawyer by profession, had made public, since his assumption of duty at the Command, that he has led a team of officers who recovered “a cache of arms and ammunition” from hoodlums who had been terrorizing innocent citizens and residents in different parts of the state and he had now issued warnings to other hoodlums who take joy in menacing the lives of the innocent people of the state.

In his first official briefing on Wednesday evening, Lakanu, who holds a Masters degree in Law and also stands as the 31st CP in the state, had disclosed that they have arrested some people who specialise in robbing passengers of tricycles at their loading bay at the ever-busy Mbaise/ Douglas Road, Owerri, warning other armed robbers, kidnappers and cult members who are operating in the state to relocate or face the wrath of his Command. He insisted that the police will not leave any stone unturned in an attempt to make live difficult for the criminals in the state.

He made it clear that he was in the state to flush out criminals in all the nooks and crannies of the 27 Local Councils of the state, adding that he would ensure that innocent citizens slept with their two eyes closed He said: “On assumption of duty on Wednesday, the following day (Thursday) was also another success story in which another gang who specialized in attacking and robbing passengers riding NAPEP tricycles, known as KEKE were incapacitated along Mbaise by Douglas Road, Owerri. Within my short period, the Command has recovered a cache of arms and ammunitions from hoodlums terrorizing the state. It is my desire to eradicate crime and criminality in the state.”

According to the CP, another approach has been adopted by the Command, different from the traditional one, to fight crime in the state. He said the police command had decided to venture into co-opting the 637 autonomous communities in the state in achieving its goal of a safer society for all in the 27 local councils of the state. He also stated that “Apart from the traditional role of fighting crime, we shall adopt other methodologies that will lead to total elimination of violent crimes especially those peculiar to the state, like armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism.

I am using this opportunity to give quit notice to all those who engage in any form of criminal activity in the state.” He said on assumption of duties in the state, he met coordinated officers, adding that strategic training, retraining and re-organization of personnel were going on. He promised the good people of the state that the police would do everything within its power to protect their lives and properties from hoodlums.

He reiterated the resolve of the Command under his watch to meet the set target, soliciting the cooperation of the public. Lakanu urged the public to come with information which could help the Command fish out criminal elements in the state