There are fears of heightened criminal activities by hoodlums around the Toyota-Murtala Muhammed airport link bridge, especially at night.
The area noted for its high crime rate witnessed some peace after operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) arrested Goddey Omuyibo, alias Aro Ghetto Boy, Destiny Nwanga, alias Aro Smiling god and Ebuka Igwe, alias Aro Do or Die in April 2022.
However, the crime rate started growing in November 2022, and is now returning to a den of robbers, as hoodlums continue to operate under the bridge, snatching phones and other valuables.
The boys are taking advantage of the garden planted by government and absence of streetlight to hide and launch attacks.
Reduced patrols by Lagos State Police have also aided the criminals to increase attacks.
The criminals are said to sleep under the bridge during the day but resume operation at night and their numbers have grown in number and they are bolder.
Last week, it took the timely intervention of some passers-by to frustrate an attack on a pedestrian, who was walking towards the Airport road at about 8:00p.m.
The man was accosted by two boys with a machete, before the arrival of the passers-by forced them to retreat.
Another female victim said her bag containing some money and phone was snatched under the bridge on Monday.
The lady, who lives at Mafoluku said she was walking across the garden when she was attacked.
When The Guardian visited the area, some boys were seen sleeping in the lofty grass and smoking substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
Contacted, spokesperson for Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, blamed absence of streetlights in the area as one of the factors responsible for the crime.
He said: “Most times, the police officers will be there, but nothing will happen, only when they move to another area, something would have happened in the area.
“If these places are well lit, crime will reduce, and it is not the duty of the police to provide streetlights. So, if this place is well lit, our period of absence there will not allow crime to happen.
“I am calling on victims to always inform the police because these reports will form the basis for a review of our security plan and position of our officers. It’s good to call the news, but they should always let the police know.
“Some have told us that they don’t want their phones back but only wanted to track the criminals.”
Speaking on the Command’s capacity to track, he said: “Many armed robbers and kidnappers have been arrested through tracking. So, it’s not a question of if we can track or not. There are many people who came back to tell us that they got their phones back. Someone’s phone was recently stolen in Lagos but surfaced in Gombe State and we got it back. So, we have the capacity to track.”
