TheCable

Adegoke Fayoade, commissioner of police in Lagos, has ordered all area commanders and divisional police officers to curtail the rising cases of phone snatching by touts in the state.

Recently, Biodun Stephen, a Lagos-based filmmaker, in a video posted on Instagram, lamented the menace of thugs who go about snatching people’s phones.

In the video, Stephen said it is no longer safe to answer phone calls in certain areas of Lagos.

He added that “area boys are now snatching people’s phones in broad daylight and forcefully demanding money” from their victims.

In a statement on Monday, Benjamin Hundeyin, police spokesperson in Lagos, said the command has received several complaints about the menace of area boys snatching phones.

Hundeyin said the police commissioner had ordered area commanders and DPOs to “enhance their neighbourhood and foot patrol within their areas of responsibility (AORs) to tackle this emerging menace”.

He said Fayoade issued the directive during a meeting with all area commanders and DPOs on Monday.

“The CP has further warned that any officer in whose AOR such an incident occurs again would be severely sanctioned, assuring that the command remains unrelenting in its resolve and determination to continue to stamp out, and make the public space hot for criminal elements,” the statement reads.

“The Lagos state police command uses this opportunity to commend everyone who brought this menace to the notice of relevant authorities and further encourages all Lagosians to continue to say something when they see something.”

Hundeyin said 303 suspects were arrested during raids across the state during the weekend.