Zenith Bank, fuel station escape arsonists’ attacks as Taskforce rid Fagba Railway Corridor of criminals

Thugs and Street urchins, among others, on Thursday confronted men of the Lagos State Taskforce at the Fagba Railway Corridor.

The policemen were said to have stormed the area in continuation of its ongoing clean-up enforcement operations to rid Lagos State of criminal elements.

Toward this end, some thugs, as well as  suspected prostitutes and street urchins, popularly called “Boller Boys,” were said to have confronted the men, resisted arrest and evade law enforcement.

The Taskforce, according to a statement by its spokesman Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, notes that the  railway corridor has increasingly become a haven for criminal activities, saying it had earlier been flagged for serious offences including robbery, rape, cultism, drug peddling,  illegal brothel parading teenagers as strippers and the stoning of moving trains and their passengers.

“In response to these growing concerns, the agency carried out a targeted raid to restore order and safety in the area.

“The operation, which commenced in the early hours of the day, was coordinated by the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Adetayo Akerele, as part of the Taskforce’s zero-tolerance stance on criminality. Areas covered during the enforcement exercise included Alfa Nla, Okekoto, Pen Cinema in the Agege axis, and the Fagba Railway Corridor, where the presence of undesirable elements had been established.

“During the operation at Fagba, officers encountered pockets of resistance from the miscreants, who escalated the situation by setting parts of the railway corridor on fire. The unrest also posed threats to nearby facilities, including Sunbeth Filling Station and the Zenith Bank branch,” the statement  added.

Gbadeyan said the miscreants were arrested in connection with the arson and related criminal acts.

“The situation was eventually brought under control through the swift intervention of Taskforce operatives, supported by the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, whose efforts helped to contain the fire and restore normalcy across the affected areas.

“All arrested suspects will be charged to court in accordance with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017,” Gbadeyan said.

Speaking after the operation, the Chairman, Akerele, admonished youths to shun criminal activities, stressing that “crime is not a career” and urged them to engage in lawful and productive ventures.

“This clean-up enforcement marks the third in a series of operations conducted in the area this year, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to sustaining public safety and eliminating criminal hideouts across the state,” Gbadeyan added.