243 suspects arrested, 60 firearms recovered in Lagos in three months — CP Fatai

By Evelyn Usman

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 243 suspects for offences ranging from armed robbery and cultism to murder and traffic robbery between March and June 2026, Commissioner of Police Tijani Fatai has disclosed.

Fatai made the revelation on Monday during the working visit of the South-West Coordinating Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, to the Command Headquarters in Ikeja.

Presenting a scorecard of the command’s activities since assuming office on March 26, 2026, the police commissioner said the arrests were made through intelligence-led operations and proactive policing strategies aimed at curbing crime across the state.

A breakdown of the arrests showed that 71 armed robbery suspects, 133 suspected cultists, 35 murder suspects and four traffic robbery suspects were apprehended during the period.

Fatai also disclosed that the command foiled 28 armed robbery operations and recovered 60 firearms as well as 625 rounds of ammunition from criminal elements.

“Since my assumption of duty on March 26, 2026, the command has continued to record remarkable achievements by reducing the incidence of serious crimes such as cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, civil unrest, violent protests and attacks on government facilities to the barest minimum,” he said.

“Where intermittent cases of these crimes have occurred, they have been promptly investigated, with suspects arrested and prosecuted accordingly.”

The commissioner attributed the achievements to the support of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund and other stakeholders, as well as the dedication of officers and personnel of the command.

“With all hands on deck, coupled with the invaluable support of the Inspector-General of Police, the Lagos State Government and other stakeholders, the command has been able to fully implement various crime-prevention strategies, intelligence-driven operations and modern policing techniques,” he said.

“Consequently, major crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, murder, cultism and related offences, have recorded significant declines.”

Fatai also highlighted the command’s traffic enforcement efforts, revealing that 122 vehicles were impounded for driving against traffic, while 1,058 motorcycles were seized for various traffic violations.

In addition, 1,541 vehicles were impounded for illegally using Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors.

Despite the achievements, the commissioner lamented the loss of seven police personnel in the line of duty during the period under review, while three others sustained varying degrees of injury.

“These achievements have not come without sacrifices from some of our gallant officers and men. Seven personnel lost their lives in the line of duty, while three others sustained injuries,” he said.

Fatai assured Lagos residents that the command would sustain its intelligence-driven crime-fighting strategies and continue efforts to rid the state of criminal elements while ensuring the safety of lives and property.