The Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Lagos, Mr. Kumar Sanda, has revealed that hundreds of suspected Boko Haram members have been arrested across Lagos State in ongoing security operations.
Speaking during an award ceremony in Lagos, where the CJTF received the “Best Security Group in Lagos” award from the Nigerian Human Rights Community, Sanda highlighted the task force’s efforts in preventing insurgents and bandits from infiltrating the state.
“If I should mention the number of Boko Haram members we have arrested in Lagos State, people will not believe it. But we have arrested thousands,” Sanda stated.
He noted that arrests are frequently made in trailer parks, markets, and quarries—places where new arrivals from northern Nigeria are commonly found.
“The CJTF monitors trailer parks, quarries, and checks truck pushers because we understand the channels through which they enter Lagos. Our people must remain vigilant. Not all Abokis are bad, but not all are good either,” he said.
Sanda assured that the group remains committed to the Lagos State Government’s mandate to keep the state free of terrorist activities. “Boko Haram has no domain in Lagos State. The Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor is constantly in touch with us to ensure the people sleep with their eyes closed,” he added.
He also claimed that many of the insurgents are not Nigerians, despite Boko Haram originating in Borno State. “Many of those you see are not truly Nigerians. That’s not to say there are no Nigerians among them,” he explained.
The CJTF Commander emphasized that the group tracks truck routes and monitors ethnic networks within the state to identify possible threats.
“We know when new arrivals come in. A person from Borno can identify others from his state; the same goes for indigenes of Kano and other states,” he said.
The CJTF continues to operate as a frontline civilian force against insurgency spillover from Nigeria’s northern regions.