To intensify the police proactiveness in combating the insecurity in the Mushin community perpetrated by the hoodlums attacking innocent residents on the road. 

The Area Commander of Area D, Lagos Police Command, ASP Bamidele Awoniyi, hosted a strategic meeting with the CDAs and community stakeholders in the Idi-Araba community to improve security on Wednesday, 5th March 2025, at the Zone D Headquarters, Isolo Road, Mushin. 

The meeting had all three DPOs within the Mushin Zone of the command present. 

The Area Commander, who was absent due to an emergency assignment, was represented by the three DPOs namely; Itire Police Division DPO, CSP Mustapha Tajudeen, CSP. Taiwo Olayemi, DPO of Olosan Police Division, CSP Eyinna, DPO of Alakara Police Station, and the three Serikis within the Idi-Araba community were ably represented as other notable stakeholders present. 

The Itire Police Division DPO said It could be recalled that on Friday, 30th January, 2025, the Area Commander had a similar meeting with all the CDAs in Mushin to address the insecurity appealing for cooperation with the people to flush out the criminals, and informing them why they are called specially on the issue of insecurity in Mushin as most of the insecurity and fight do emanate and traced to the community.

"Why we are calling you is to tell us the major problem in terms of security in that area, who and who is causing the tension, let us know, so that the Mushin community can be peaceful, if you can not give us vital information or your internal challenges that are causing the societal problem, how do we solve the problem because every crime is local and if the local people can not provide information, what are we to work on". He added. 

The DPOs present questioned the people on what the issues at hand are as the insecurity is causing everyone sleepless nights, "It is the intelligence gathered from you the police will work on because we can not assume the hoodlums are from Mushin alone, so tell us those black spots and the people involve." Alakara Police Station, DPO asked. 

The community stakeholders present made the police know that the boys are not fighting each other lately, the hoodlums are only victimizing innocent residents by robbing them of their valuables. 

"We want to tell you that Idi-Araba boys are not fighting with Mushin boys lately, those Mushin boys with some of our boys who are hoodlums are pretending to be fighting each other to create tension in the community, giving the impression that they are fighting each other but to rob passers-by and shops' owners of their valuables which they perpetrate the evil mostly at night." One of the stakeholders said. 

After much deliberation, the police advised the CDAs in Mushin to have their own security personnel to complement their effort and to work in unity to achieve lasting peace. 

"We want you to set up your own security to complement our effort, have two or more security personnel depending on the budget of your CDA, and bring them to us for profiling and background check-ups so that when the bad boys strike, they are there to alert you and you alert us which will ease our prompt response to your distress calls." Mr. Taiwo Olayemi, DPO Olosan Police Division. 

The DPO Alakara Police Division, Mr Eyinna, said the stakeholders should work without fear with the people on the ground who can give them first-hand information about the bad boys and their supporters because if there is no unity among the people, little will be achieved. 

Muhammed Usman, the Vice President of the Idi-Araba Residents Association, disclosed to the police that there is a joint task force on security by the Idi-Araba residents, and they have been very active, but the major problem is the lack of unity among the leaders and Serikis of different tribes that make up the Hausa community. 

"We have neutralised many activities of the bad boys in Idi-Araba, and the bad boys from Mushin don't come into idi-Araba; they always perpetrate their evil along Itire road between Awawu junction to Morgan because they know we are on the ground, and we promise to work with you to protect our community. " He said. 

The CDA leaders promised to work with the police and said they have started to initial some plans to curtail the activities of the hoodlums within the area, like the installation of lights along the black spots where the hoodlums always pass to unleash their terror which has improved the security situation around the area and express readiness to confront the bad boys when never they show up in their area.