Only one bank robbery has succeeded in Lagos state since 2007.
This was declared on Thursday by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun while speaking at the 18th Security Briefing of Lagos state and donation of operational vehicles to the state Police Command and other security operatives at the Alausa secretariat.
According to Egbetokun, the state would have been overwhelmed by criminals but for the consistent and persistent interventions of the governments of Lagos state.
“Lagos State being the economic hub of Nigeria has suffered and continue to suffer internal migration.
“Thousand of people flock into the state everyday and this also has its implication on security in the state.
“It makes it imperative for the police in the state to continue to adopt and strengthen security strategies to meet up with these challenges.
“What we are seeing here today is the mutual assistance that the state government has been given to the Police in the state.
“Without the assistance that the police receive from the government, we would not have been able to do much that we are doing in Lagos State. We would have been overwhelmed with insecurity in the state.
“There was a time that armed robbery and bank robbery were common in Lagos.
“But I can recall that since 2006 till date, only one bank robbery succeeded in Lagos and that was as far back as 2014.
“So the days of armed robbery, bank robbery are gone”. The IGP said.
Egbetokun stressed further that there have been collaborations between the state government and the police over the years leading to better and safer environment.
The IGP said the state government has been so supportive of the police force providing logistics for the safe policing of the state.
Speaking on the donated operational vehicles, Egbetokun assured the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of putting them into good use.
“I want to assure Mr. Governor that the resources you have provided for the Lagos State Police Command and other security agencies will be put into judicious use.” The IGP added.
At the event were the Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, Chairman of the state Security Trust Funds, Mr. Kehinde Durosimi-Etti and heads of security agencies in the state.
