The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, has identified drug abuse as one of the biggest drivers of crime in the state, revealing that the command is working closely with sister security agencies to tackle drug syndicates and reduce criminal activities.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with Priscimedia, the Lagos Police Chief also addressed the recent Mushin explosion, intelligence-led policing, the command’s telephone directory reform, and efforts to strengthen public trust through community policing.
Fatai explained that drug abuse continues to fuel several violent crimes, making collaboration between security agencies more important than ever.
However, he assured residents that the police remain committed to dismantling criminal networks through intelligence gathering and joint operations.
According to the Commissioner, illegal drugs often serve as the foundation for other serious offences.
“Well, you should know drugs, intake, it leads to many things. It leads to many crimes. A drug addict can as well be an armed robber, a cultist, and many more,” he said.
He noted that the challenge is not limited to Lagos alone but affects different parts of the country.
“There has been an increase in taking of these illicit drug but we are working in collaboration with the NDLEA to fight at this menace,” Fatai stated.
The Commissioner added that intelligence remains one of the strongest weapons against modern criminal groups. Consequently, the Lagos Police Command has continued to strengthen its intelligence units to stay ahead of evolving crimes.
“You know, crime is dynamic and we have to be ahead of criminals,” he explained.
According to him, intelligence officers and operatives of the State Intelligence Department continue to gather information that helps prevent crimes before they occur.
Furthermore, Fatai praised the cooperation between the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies. These include the Department of State Services, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the military and neighbourhood security groups.
“It’s quite obvious, you can see that Lagos is very peaceful It’s even the most peaceful, most secured state in the country for now,” he said.
He stressed that the achievements recorded across Lagos have been made possible through continuous collaboration among security agencies.
“We all work together to guarantee that we secure Lagos State,” he added.
The interview also focused on reforms introduced by the command to improve communication with residents to assist in security operations.
One of the most notable initiatives is the publication of telephone numbers belonging to senior police officers across police stations.
According to Fatai, the reform was introduced to bring policing closer to the people.
“This is informed by bringing police into the grassroots so that everybody could have access to the police,” he explained.
He said the initiative reflects the principles of community policing for residents to have easy access to contact officers during emergencies.
Moreover, his own phone number has been displayed prominently inside police stations across the state for the enforcement of the law.
“My telephone is open 24 hours, and likewise my other police officers,” the Commissioner said.
He disclosed that many residents have used the telephone directory to report complaints directly to him.
“Some of them will have problems even at the police station, they will call me and their matter will be resolved,” he revealed.
Beyond the telephone reform, Fatai said the command regularly attends community meetings and stakeholder engagements to strengthen public confidence in policing.
“We participate in everything the community is doing,” he said.
According to him, security can only improve when residents and police officers work together.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner addressed concerns surrounding the recent explosion in Mushin, which created panic among residents.
He clarified that investigations ruled out terrorism after experts examined the scene.
“Yesterday I ran the press conference, the cause of the incident was related to a mechanical explosion, It was not an IED according to the expert It was not a terror threat,” Fatai explained.
He noted that specialists from the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit handled the investigation.
“The EOD operating department of the police are the ones who are dealing with this responsibility,” he said.
Furthermore, he expressed confidence that experts carried out extensive consultations before releasing their findings.
The police chief also spoke about professionalism within the Force, saying officers continue to undergo regular training.
“There has been a lot of capacity building,” he stated.
According to him, training programmes now place greater emphasis on professionalism, ethics and human rights as directed by the IGP (Inspector General of Police Olatunji Disu) of Nigeria.
Fatai also addressed the recent school security scare in Lagos. He described the incident as a false alarm that received an immediate police response.
“It was just a scare,” he said.
The Commissioner revealed that he personally visited the affected school and advised the management on additional safety measures.
In addition, he disclosed that there has always been an existing body known as the School Protection Squads which is assigned the responsibility of ensuring the safety of children and students in schools. while responding quickly to emergencies.
However, the squads provide security for schools, nearby communities and across borders including Epe, Badagry, and Ikorodu.
He warned that false security alerts would not be tolerated.
“So we have been able to tell people that they have to stop false news, and false alarms because anybody that raises any false alarm and at the end of the day is found to be false can be prosecuted,” he said.
Fatai concluded the interview by urging Lagos residents to continue supporting security agencies through information sharing and community partnership.
“All I’m expecting is collaboration with the police,” he said.
He assured residents that the Lagos State Police Command will continue improving service delivery, strengthening intelligence-led policing and building stronger relationships with communities across the state.
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