According to a statement signed by the Chairman of the Taskforce, Olubukola Abey, a Chief Superintendent of Police, the task force officers had stormed the area at about 2.00am on Wednesday and carried out an operation, in line with the directive by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to rid Lagos of criminals and criminality.
But the Task force boss said on getting to the area, his men encountered fierce resistance from the miscreants who attacked them with petrol bomb bottles and other dangerous weapons.
He said as a result of the attack, eight police personnel sustained various injuries such as fire burns while one brigade officer of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) sustained gunshot wound.
Abey said the policemen however held their ground and succeeded in penetrating the enclave and arrested 159 suspects, recovered one English Pump Action gun, two locally made pistols, two expended cartridges and four unexpended cartridges.
“They also impounded 125 motorcycles and destroyed an illegal Petrol bunkering barge,” he said.
The Task Force Chairman however noted that one un-identified male was reportedly crushed by a DAF truck with Reg No. LKJ 797 XA while trying to escape from the scene.
He said the injured officers were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention and have been discharged, while the officer with gunshot injury is still recuperating.
He said the suspects have been charged to court.
“The Lagos State Government wishes to reiterate its resolve to bring crime and criminality to the barest minimum and urges Lagosians to support security agencies to achieve the desired result,” he said.
