Lagos Residents Raise Security Concerns Over Club Robbery

Residents of Abule Egba, Lagos, have raised concerns about the security implications of the growing number of lounges, bars, and nightclubs in the area, particularly on weekends, when nightlife activity peaks.

The concerns followed the recent arrest of a suspected robber in connection with an alleged robbery at Ghost and Spirit Lounge, Abule Egba, where a patron was reportedly robbed of a gold wrist chain and rings.

The development has heightened concerns among residents about the safety of people moving around the area in the early hours of Saturdays and Sundays, with some alleging that criminal elements could exploit the concentration of nightlife to commit crimes.

A resident identified as Kemi Olowo said she had become uncomfortable using certain routes in the area in the early hours of weekends because of the movement of club patrons and vehicles, and people lingering after drinking.

“From Friday night, Saturday nights and Sundays, I don’t like passing there, especially early Saturday and Sunday mornings, around 5am, because of people coming out of the clubs after drinking.

“The boys lurking around the roads who have come to the bars and then the way they park their vehicles also make it difficult to pass easily on the routes,” she said.

Another resident, Tunde, said some residents had witnessed car snatching incidents along certain routes and urged security agencies to pay closer attention to areas with concentrated nightlife.

“Some of us have seen cars being snatched around these areas, particularly at night. When many people come and go from lounges and bars, it becomes difficult to distinguish between genuine patrons, commercial activity, and people who may be there to commit crimes.

“The situation requires closer security attention,” he said.

The residents identified points such as Social Club, Santos Road, Charity Road, Agbe Road, and Ekoro Road as areas where nightlife activities and late-night movement have raised security concerns.

They called for increased police patrols, improved traffic management and closer monitoring of nightlife activities, particularly during the early hours when patrons are leaving entertainment venues.

However, the Lagos State Police Command said it was intensifying intelligence-led operations and security patrols across the state to prevent criminal activities and apprehend suspected offenders.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Tijani, disclosed this during a briefing with journalists at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, where he said the command had recovered 10 firearms and 35 live and expended ammunition in a series of operations across the state.

According to him, the recovered firearms comprised five pump-action guns and five locally made pistols, while the ammunition included 20 live cartridges and 15 expended cartridges.

The police also recovered N2.5 million cash, 43 vehicles, two cutlasses, suspected criminal charms, a television set, vandalised electrical wires, as well as assorted vehicle spare parts and tools.

Tijani said the operations, which covered Mushin, Badagry, Ikorodu, Ojo, Oshodi, Egbeda, Epe and Abule Egba, were aimed at disrupting armed robbery, cultism, illegal possession of firearms and other criminal activities.

He said the command was relying on intelligence gathering and targeted operations to identify and disrupt criminal networks before their activities could escalate into wider security threats.

In one of the operations, three suspected robbers were arrested at Idi-Oro, Mushin, while further investigation allegedly led to the recovery of a pump-action gun and 11 live cartridges at Igbogbo, Ikorodu.

Another suspect, Ebuka Benedict, was arrested at Olorunsogo, Mushin, with police alleging that a locally made Beretta pistol and four live 9mm rounds were recovered from his room.

The command also arrested 12 suspected members of the Eiye Confraternity at Imeke, Badagry, recovering a locally made cut-to-size firearm, a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, two vehicle keys and suspected criminal charms.

The police said seven of the suspects had been charged in court, while an investigation into the activities of the remaining suspects continued.