IGP redeploys Lagos SARS Commander to Kaduna

…CSP Gana not sacked – Police clarify

By Evelyn Usman

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu,  has redeployed the Officer-in-Charge of the Lagos State Police Command Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS  CSP Peter Gana, to the Kaduna State Police Command.

This is just as the Lagos State Police Command  has clarified that Gana, was not sacked as rumoured, explaining rather,  that deployment was part of Police routine  aimed towards officers versatility.

While emphasizing that Gana was redeployed to Kaduna command for other assignment, the Lagos State Police Command ,commended him,  dor his outstanding display of gallantry,  stating that SARS under his watch recorded commendable feats, by  confronting criminal elements in the State head-on, as well as his ability to firmly supervise and coordinate activities of officers and men under his control.

The command therefore , described report that  Gana was sacked owing to the increase in crime rate in Lagos,  as baseless , unsubstantiated and being peddled by some unscrupulous elements,  positing  rather, that crime rate had been in the decrease , in the last six months.

Spokesman  for the Lagos State Police Command, DSP Elkana Bala  disclosed that between November last year and now, 136 armed robbery attempts were foiled,while 129 robbery suspects were arrested.

Bala said, “Lagos State Police Command has in the last six months witnessed a huge decrease in crime rate due to the strategies put in place by the seasoned crime fighting Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu . From November 2019 to date , the Command has successfully foiled 136 armed robbery attempts and arrested 129 armed robbery suspects. Also, 44 firearms of different calibre with large caches of ammunition were recovered.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Tourism associations offer hotels for isolation centres in Lagos

” One hundred and forty-six  (146) suspects were arrested for murder and 198 for cultism and gang violence”.

Most  arrests, especially those effected  in dreaded criminal hideouts and hot spots in the Lagos, were attributed to the Gana-led   SARS , as part of proactive measures put in place by CP Odumosu, to make the state uncomfortable for criminals.

While handing over to his successor, CSP Kehinde Johnson, Gana , urged  operatives of the unit  to accord same  support to the latter.

The mood of the operatives   at the Unit was gloomy during the hand over, as they described Gana as an officer who  had respect for human rights.

For instance, some of them  who spoke with Vanguard, stated that Gana usually fed suspects who were in SARS custody during festive periods like Christmas, Easter, Eid-el Fitri and Malud.

One of them said, ” During the lockdown when directive prohibiting visitors from entering the unit was issued, he  was responsible for the feeding of  suspects in our custody until they were arraigned in court”.

Meanwhile, the incoming Commander, CSP  Kehinde Johnson Oni, said to be an operational officer usually referred to as a crime  buster  while at the Rapid Response Squad , RRS  has been urged to improve  on the successes recorded by his predecessor.

Vanguard