The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba said the police commands in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states will deploy technology-based and tactical assets to forestall kidnappings and other ugly incidents happening along the ever-busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
To address these issues, the IGP ordered an immediate restructuring of the security architecture on the road to provide adequate deployment of officers and assets to ensure the protection of lives and property along the expressway.
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made this known in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement said the IGP similarly emphasised that the police leadership is not insensitive to the plight of motorists on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
“The Inspector-General of Police, therefore, pledges adequate operational support in form of technology-based and tactical operational assets for the Commissioners of Police in charge of Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo, and Heads of tactical operational units in the area to combat the current trend of crimes and criminality on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.
“In the same vein, the Inspector-General of Police has therefore called on well-meaning Nigerians, particularly road users, hunters, community leaders, and other stakeholders who ply the route to constantly expose known criminals who terrorize innocent Nigerians along the route and within adjoining communities to the Police and other security agencies for immediate arrest and prosecution,” the statement partly read.
In recent weeks, the gridlock associated with the road has become compounded and nightmarish with kidnapping as unscrupulous elements attack motorists, cart away their valuables and abduct them in exchange of millions of naira as ransom.