The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested and charged 620 persons, including 39 strippers and revelers at a nightclub, for violating the lockdown directive to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease in the state.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, some of the violators were arrested and jailed for organising a party, others were apprehended while travelling to other states.
He stated that seven inter-state commercial buses were impounded and 95 travellers and their drivers, were arrested and charged for defying the government’s lockdown directives, adding that 211 other violators were also apprehended in different parts of the state.
Elkana said, “On Tuesday, April 21, 2020, around 8pm, acting on information, operatives from the Denton Police Station arrested 95 inter-state travellers at the Bhojson area, Ebute Meta, in seven commercial buses with number plates LG 91 BGT, travelling from Lagos to Benue; BDA 690 XA, Lagos to Abuja; BGA 86 EA, Lagos to Abuja; LSD 459 XA, Lagos to Benue; LRN 105 YR, Lagos to Ilorin; LSD 81 XX, Lagos to Ilorin; and BWR 975 PN, Lagos to Abuja.
“The buses were impounded; the drivers and passengers were arraigned before a mobile court and sentenced accordingly. In addition, 211 violators of the lockdown order were also arrested in different parts of the state and also charged.”
PUNCH Metro gathered that on Thursday, April 23, 2020, men of the Maroko Police Division arrested 10 suspects for organising a party at the Lekki Gardens, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
Elkana said the suspects were charged and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment each, while 121 violators of the lockdown order were also arrested, charged, fined and ordered to do community service for two hours.
“Similarly, 121 violators of the lockdown order were arrested in different parts of the state and charged. They were awarded fines ranging from N5,000 to N10,000 and two hours community service.”He stated, “On April 23, 2020, around 10.30pm, operatives from the Maroko Police Station arrested 10 suspects for organising a party at the Lekki Gardens. The suspects were arraigned on three counts and found guilty as charged. They were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and community service to run concurrently.
Similarly, personnel from the Idimu Division of the command, while acting on information, arrested 39 suspects for clubbing in a hotel against the lockdown order of the government.
The PPRO said the suspects had been charged, adding that the enforcement team of the Rapid Response Squad of the command also arrested the Imam of the Sheik Central Mosque, Suleiman Abubakar, for violating the social distancing regulation when he held an evening prayer involving a large number of worshippers in a mosque in the Mile 12 area of the state.
Elkana stated, “On April 24, 2020, around 1:30 am, acting on credible intelligence, operatives from the Idimu Police Station arrested 39 suspects in a hotel at Idimu for clubbing and striptease. This is in total violation of the lockdown order and social distancing regulations.
“Also, on the same day, around 8:30 pm, the enforcement team of the RRS arrested one Suleiman Abubakar, the Imam of the Sheik Central Mosque, Mile 12, for holding evening prayers (Maghrib and Isha) in the mosque with a large number of worshippers in violation of the social distancing regulations.
“A total of 288 violators of the lockdown order were, over the weekend, arrested in different parts of the state.”
Elkana said the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, urged residents to continue to be law-abiding, especially during the lockdown period and cautioned them against spreading fake news and recycling old videos on the social media with new captions that suggest that the incidents happened during the lockdown period in Lagos, mainly to create panic.
“The command is investigating sources of such mischievous messages with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice. Stop the spread and keep safe. Together we can stop the spread of COVID-19.”