Alimosho Holds First 2026 Peace and Security Meeting, Targets Crime and Drug Abuse
Kehinde Adeleye
The Chairman of Alimosho Local Government, Hon. Akinpelu Ibrahim Johnson, has called on security agencies and community stakeholders to step up efforts aimed at making the area safer and more orderly.
He made the call during the first Peace and Security Meeting of 2026, held at his office, where he stressed the importance of collective responsibility in addressing security challenges across the local government.
Hon. Johnson urged residents to be more vigilant and familiar with those living around them, particularly foreign nationals who sometimes identify as northerners. He noted that people from countries such as Chad, Senegal, Mali and Niger reside in some Alimosho communities, warning that the absence of proper documentation poses serious security risks. He appealed to the Nigeria Immigration Service to intensify profiling and documentation of such individuals.
The Chairman also highlighted the growing threat of hard drugs, describing drug abuse as a major factor behind rising crime, loss of lives and mental health challenges among youths. While commending the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for its ongoing efforts, he called for stronger and sustained operations to tackle drug-related activities.
Providing updates, Alimosho Immigration Commandant, Mr. Omoniyi Mayowa, said officers were already visiting communities with a high population of northerners to identify non-Nigerians. He explained that community leaders had pledged full cooperation in compiling records of foreign nationals, noting that proper documentation would help security agencies trace identities and investigate crimes when necessary.
The NDLEA also assured the council of intensified operations in identified drug hotspots across Alimosho. According to NDLEA representative, Mr. Adebowale Adebote, residents should expect visible improvements, adding, “By mid-March, you will see a new Alimosho.”
Area ‘M’ Police Commandant, Mrs. Tokunbo Abanikande, called on committee members to show greater commitment to security matters. She identified 311 Road in Gowon Estate as a major centre for drug peddling and urged focused enforcement in the area. She also advised hotel operators to keep accurate guest records, noting that many crimes are often planned from hotels.
Mrs. Abanikande further warned residents against jungle justice, describing it as a criminal offence. She revealed that crimes involving commercial motorcyclists are more common at night, announcing that security agencies would clamp down on night operations by okada riders. Residents were also advised to avoid motorcycle transportation at night for safety reasons.
The meeting ended with a resolution urging religious leaders to use their pulpits to speak against drug abuse and jungle justice. Clerics were also encouraged to educate their congregations on the importance of the ongoing rubella and measles vaccination exercise and to support child immunisation despite prevailing misconceptions.
