Judgement Day! Deadly gang, one million boys, for trial

• 407 suspects in police net
• How One Million Boys were arrested
• Residents heave sigh of relief

 

 Sanity seems to have been restored in the area of Lagos, where a group of criminals popularly known as the One Million Boys operate fearlessly. People residing in the
Ajegunle area had complained of violent crimes, including rape and armed robbery, against the gang. The Lagos State command ordered a raid of the area and they successfully restored sanity after many of them were arrested and the others relocated.
Saturday Sun investigation revealed that most of those criminals resided and operated within and around Ajegunle, in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State. The group that has been in existence for years went into hiding due to some strict security measures applied by the community and the police. Those days, the boys, numbering 50 to 60 broke into homes and dished out terrors on residents. Their initial temporal disappearance from the streets of Ajegunle was celebrated by the residents and many residents that relocated to other areas as a result of the menace returned.
Unfortunately, the boys reappeared last month, in a deadlier manner shortly after they killed one Inspector Taiye Ajetumobi of the anti-robbery section in Area B Police Command. It was gathered that the inspector, who resided in that area, took it upon himself to form a formidable community police that complemented the efforts of the area commander in restoring sanity in the area. When the gang returned, they wrote residents informing them of possible attack. In fear, residents cooperated with them by always keeping money and valuable handy, which are handed over whenever the gang struck.
They have been operating and succeeding until their operation in Agugu Street, where they killed a young man, after robbing a resident. With the boy’s murder, the community could not take it any longer and they sent an SOS to the Commissioner of Police, who directed Area B commander, Apapa to ensure that the security threat was reduced to its barest minimum. So far, the police have been able to arrest about 407 suspected members of the group. Confirming the arrest, Commissioner of Police, Umaru Manko, said that the raid was led by Area B Command Apapa, comprising Apapa, Ajegunle, Tolu, Trinity, Amukoko, Ijora Badia, Layeni and Kirikiri Police divisions. “The onslaught was led by the Area Commander. Mr. Mohammed Alli, ACP and the various Divisional Police Officers of the command.
The crime rate in Ajegunle has been brought down to the “barest minimum” and arrests would become continuous,” he said. On the possibility of arresting innocent residents, Manko said: “We have reliable people whose duty is to ensure that criminals are sieved out from the crowd and so far the result has been good. I must commend the community for the success of this and I hope other area would understand that the police work would be much easier if community policing is practiced. Other commands are at alert in case some of them who evaded arrest chose to relocate.
“Meanwhile after the screening and proper investigation, all the suspects would be charged to court.”  The development received encomiums and ovations from the residents who are grateful that they can once more sleep with their eyes closed.


Culled - Saturday Sun