Easy access to hard drugs at clubs, lounges, beaches ‘worrisome’ – Lagos Police boss

The Lagos State Police Command has frowned at the increased use of hard drugs at clubs, lounges, and beaches across the state and ordered operators to put internal security measures to check the scourge.

Imohimi Edgal, the Police Commissioner, who spoke during a meeting with owners of businesses in the hospitality sector, at the weekend, said drug abuse, drug peddling and other criminal activities in the industry must be discouraged in the overall best interest of businesses and security of the state.

Mr. Edgal said intelligence report showed there was increase in drug abuse among youth and minors, and that such was dangerous to efforts of the state government to promote the right economy of the state.

He said despite the successes recorded in recent time, through the cooperation of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, there were grey areas which must be jointly tackled by both police and hospitality industry operators in line with his principle of community policing and security partnership.

“One of such areas is the issue of drug peddling, drug use and abuse,” Mr. Edgal said.

“Intelligence report at my disposal reveals that there is increased drug peddling, drug abuse in most of our night clubs, lounges, beaches and so on across the state.

“Young men and women freely use narcotic substances at times in the seating areas, at times more hidden in the toilet areas of our clubs, lounges, hotels to the knowledge of the operators but they are doing nothing about it. This is wrong.”

The police boss said the scourge of drugs and its attendant effect on the young population, particularly the correlation between drug and crime is something that should make every responsible Lagosian worried.

“The ease with which our youths are getting access to drugs at clubs, lounges, beaches and so on is worrisome and our meeting here today is to send a very strong signal to operators that it is not going to be business as usual.”

Mr. Edgar said it had also been observed that some hotels in the state now give rooms to minors and also sell alcoholic drinks to them, while under-aged girls were also being allowed to use such establishments for prostitution, saying that such was very criminal and capable of leading to crimes.

“In addition, we also have the issue of criminals hibernating and having save haven in all our beaches, hotels, clubs, lounges these days,” he said.

“The last intelligence report I received indicates that young men now move around these establishments armed. This is very dangerous for the security of the state. We have it on good authority that some of these establishments are used as meeting points to plan crimes before they execute,” Mr. Edgal said.

He said in as much as the police have the capacity to arrest any operator found aiding such, he would rather engage operators in the sector in line with the principle of community policing and security partnership to tackle the menace, while any operator found culpable would henceforth be arrested, shamed and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The police commissioner also said it was compulsory for operators to now install basic security gadgets such as CCTV cameras and metal box detectors, among others to cover their establishments.

He set up a 10-member committee headed by the Managing Director of Farm City Lounge in Lekki, Lanre Carew, to come up with a comprehensive blueprint on how to strengthen security in the hospitality industry, especially how to put a stop to drug peddling and use as well as armed bandits gaining access to the establishments to plan crimes.

The committee, whose members were drawn from across the state, has two weeks to submit its report.