The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Olohundare Jimoh, says that gangs of street urchins have been reduced “to the barest” in the state following intensified policing efforts.
Jimoh made the remarks on Thursday, January 8, during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he highlighted recent security gains and reassured residents that law enforcement is not letting up.
“The one million boys going out and street urchins, we have eradicated them to the barest in Lagos,” he said, adding that the police have been able to “police Lagos to the extent that nobody can commit any major crime on the street.”
He attributed the progress to heightened policing strategies and operational measures, noting that the command remains vigilant. “We are not resting and want to ensure that everywhere is safe,” he said.
According to the commissioner, traffic-related robberies have also declined sharply. “Even the issue of traffic robbery has gone to the lowest level as at three to four days now, there has been no serious incident reported throughout Lagos state,” he said.
Jimoh pointed to major festive events such as the New Year celebrations, Christmas, the Eyo Festival and other large concerts—where thousands of people gathered—saying no incidents were recorded during those occasions. “That’s to say all our crime prevention and control strategies and other preventive measures are put into place and working around Lagos,” the commissioner said.
He credited support from the Inspector General of Police, the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Lagos State Government for keeping patrol logistics functioning smoothly. “So it’s unheard of that somebody wants a police assistant and you will be asking for fuel,” Jimoh said.
The commissioner urged residents to promptly report crimes, directing complaints first to senior officers. “They should report to the most senior officer in that department which is the Data Protection Officer (DPO) and Area Commander,” he said, while also providing two phone numbers for incident reporting: 08032569029 and 07019852222.
