The police have cast a dragnet to apprehend those who would buy items looted from stores and shops during Tuesday’s protests against xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other nationals in South Africa.
Shops and businesses linked to South Africa in Lagos were invaded by hoodlums who looted valuables, while others were vandalised in other places.
Such shops include popular supermarket, Shoprite, just as several others with no links to South Africa but sharing mall spaces with South African businesses also suffered attacks.
Security experts said some of the expensive looted items especially smartphones, wristwatches and other electronics could be tracked.
The Lagos State police command, which made this disclosure on Friday, warned of stiff penalty for anyone found to have bought from the items that were looted during the Tuesday disorder.
It said it had already mounted surveillance with a view to recovering the stolen items from their possible buyers or the persons who actually stole them.
On Thursday, the command arraigned about 80 people suspected to have participated in the looting.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, stiff punishment awaits buyers of such stolen products.
“We have already put surveillance in place to make sure that all the looted items are recovered. Stiff punishment awaits anybody that buys from those who participated in the looting.
“The punishment for receiving stolen goods is tougher than that for the person who stole except the person used weapons to steal,” Elkana said.
He advised prospective buyers to make their purchases from recognised stores and shops to save themselves from embarrassment.
“It is assumed that you intentionally bought stolen items since you bought from an unusual place,” the police spokesman added.
