Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps, LNSC, says its five thousand seven hundred operatives have established presence in all 57 council areas of the state in its first year of operation.

Speaking at a special parade to mark its first anniversary, its Chairman, Israel Ajao, said the corps could only succeed if residents assisted with information, saying the success of the corps was heavily dependent on residents giving credible intelligence to the corps to assist the police in protecting the people.

“The security agencies are not the cause of crime but part of the solution and the solution,” he said.

According to Ajao, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, criminals were not ghosts but people who live in the neighbourhood, saying there was a strong synergy with the police such that intelligence procured by the corps is shared with the police for covert operations.

“Corps officers also embark on joint patrol with the police and other security agencies for crime prevention and detection,’’ Ajao said.

He said the agency has embraced the concept of advocacy through interaction with stakeholders as evidenced in curbing the menace of Badoo gang in Ikorodu.

“The board is also planning regular sessions with members of the Community Development Committees and Associations to ensure grassroots participation and acceptability of the corps.

“Our advocacy strategy will also involve interface with education administrators to ensure interaction with students in order to curb the growing menace of cultism and drug abuse among youths,’’ he said.

A minute silence was observed in honour of Bolaji Monsur, a neighbourhood corps officer who was killed on Feb. 22 at Surulere in line of duty.