Three suspected Boko Haram terrorists, who fled Borno State, were apprehended in Lagos last month, an Islamic cleric, Mohammed Abdullahi, said yesterday.
He spoke at a meeting between Acting Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal and stakeholders at Area ‘D’ Command, at Isolo town hall.
Abdullahi said the suspects were held at Ajao Estate, wondering why they always ran to the area.
He said: “A lot of people think Boko Haram issue is just about the Northeast, but they are mistaken. We have been apprehending fleeing Boko Haram insurgents in Lagos.
“I don’t know if it is as a result of proximity to the airport. Most of the escapee Boko Haram members, who came to Lagos, have been held at Ajao Estate. Just three weeks ago, we apprehended three of them, who escaped from Borno State.
“We have a way of identifying them. The Seriki Hausa at Ajao Estate has contacts of local government chairmen in Borno State. This assists us to know those Boko Haram elements, who have fled the area to other parts of the country.
“We have been doing this since 2014. We have been working in collaboration with the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno. Once we identify them, we contact JTF and they come and arrest them.
“We were not working with the police because we thought they would not collaborate with us. But now that the Police commissioner has indicated commitment to partner stakeholders and ensure community policing, we will work with the police.”
Edgal said the police would verify claims by the cleric because they were serious security issues.
He urged residents to be more vigilant, saying Lagos cannot be isolated from security challenges in other parts of the country.
Edgal said: “The issue raised by him is a vital security issue. I’ve taken his phone number. We must verify the facts. It calls for increased vigilance. We cannot isolate Lagos from security challenges in other parts of the country.
“We know Lagos is the melting pot of Nigeria. Because Lagos is functioning, we are having influx of people at astronomical rate.
“We will meet Arewa leaders so that localities where they have majority of their people are policed.
“Already, based on this community policing, I have extended hands of partnership to them. As I said, I intend to partner their leaders to ensure every new person, who comes into Lagos from that part of the country, is monitored.
“The final points of the partnership will mean that every community leader in Lagos will assist the police profile their members. We do not want strays. Anyone who comes into the state must identify with their communities and it is incumbent on the leaders to bring the persons forward for biometrics so that we will have records.”
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