THE Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olorundare Jimoh, has stated that police response to crimes such as robbery and other threats to public safety has been drastically reduced to five minutes across the state.
Speaking in an interview today, Jimoh said, “Our response time to crime is less than 10 minutes. We have even reduced it further to five minutes. Once you call us, under five minutes, we are there.”
He reassured residents that Lagos remains a secure environment, crediting the police force for proactively preventing most violent crimes before they occur.
“For crimes that couldn’t be prevented, we ensure prompt detection and swift arrests to deter others,” he added. “If criminals know they will be apprehended immediately, they’ll think twice.”
The commissioner also highlighted recent successes in curbing specific criminal activities, noting that traffic robbery has been effectively eradicated in the state.
Responding to ongoing debates about policing reforms in Nigeria, Jimoh maintained that the creation of state police forces is not the answer to the nation’s security challenges. Instead, he called for better funding for the existing Nigeria Police Force.
“There is no doubt that state police are not the answer to our problem,” he said. “Proper police funding, which the Federal Government has taken upon itself, is the way forward.”
Jimoh argued that unitary policing systems have worked effectively in other countries, and Nigeria can also make it work with the right resources and commitment.
With the upcoming Lagos local government elections scheduled for July 12, 2025, the commissioner said any restriction of movement would be determined by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission.
However, he added that the police would not hesitate to enforce moderate restrictions if necessary for the security of voters and electoral officials.
“If there is going to be a security threat that will affect the election, then we will have to ensure that we enforce restriction—but it’s not going to shut down the entire state,” Jimoh assured, noting that sufficient personnel would be deployed to maintain law and order across all polling units.
The commissioner concluded by calling on residents to cooperate with security personnel and report suspicious activity, emphasizing that the safety of Lagosians remains the police’s top priority.