Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, popularly known as the Lagos Taskforce, has arrested 33 suspected criminals during a coordinated early morning enforcement operation across Victoria Island, Lekki, and other parts of the state. The raid, conducted on Monday, July 27, 2026, targeted street urchins, miscreants, suspected drug addicts and peddlers, illegal commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders), street traders, illegal ticket touts, and other criminal elements whose activities pose threats to public safety and environmental order.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Affairs of the Lagos State Taskforce, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, the operation covered several identified flashpoints, including Ikate Bus Stop, Marwa Bus Stop, Muri Okunola Park in Victoria Island, Obalende Underbridge, Law School Junction, and other adjoining locations along the Lekki-Epe Expressway. Security agencies had reportedly observed increasing activities of suspected criminal elements in these areas, prompting the enforcement exercise.
During the raid, operatives recovered incriminating items, including substances suspected to be Tramadol, Indian hemp, Colorado, marijuana, and cannabis, as well as dangerous weapons and objects such as scissors and cutlasses. Abdulraheem confirmed that all 33 suspects were taken into custody at the end of the operation, which successfully restored normalcy to all the affected areas. The suspects have since been charged before the appropriate courts in accordance with the provisions of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, and the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, where applicable.
Speaking after the exercise, the Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, Chief Superintendent of Police Adetayo Akerele, reiterated the agency's unwavering determination to make Lagos uncomfortable for criminal elements. "There is no room for criminality in Lagos State. Those engaged in criminal activities should either desist or relocate. We remain committed to enforcing the laws of the state and ensuring that residents continue to enjoy a safe, secure, and orderly environment," Akerele said. He further urged officers to sustain the momentum of the ongoing enforcement operations and intensify efforts to combat criminality across the state, noting that the agency had already made significant progress in curbing the menace of illegal Okada operations on Lagos roads.
The operation forms part of the state government's ongoing efforts to tackle criminality, drug abuse, illegal commercial motorcycle operations, and environmental infractions in line with the THEMES Plus Agenda of the Lagos State Government. The Lagos State Taskforce reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven enforcement operations across the metropolis to rid the state of criminal elements and maintain law and order. CSP Akerele also directed officers to sustain the ongoing enforcement operations, urging them to intensify efforts against criminality while maintaining the agency's campaign against illegal commercial motorcycle operations.
The arrest of 33 suspects marks the latest in a series of enforcement actions by the Lagos State Taskforce as part of its zero-tolerance stance against environmental degradation, drug abuse, and criminality. Residents and business owners in Victoria Island and Lekki have welcomed the development, expressing hope that the sustained operations would reduce the incidence of street crimes and drug-related activities in the upscale neighbourhoods. The agency has urged members of the public to continue providing credible information to support its operations, assuring that all intelligence would be treated with utmost confidentiality. As the task force intensifies its efforts, the message from the state government remains clear: Lagos will not tolerate criminal elements threatening the safety and security of its residents.
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