CITIZENS COMPASS –Nine suspected members of a high-powered kidnapping gang in Lagos State have died during a gun battle with some members of the Tactical team of the Lagos State Police Command.
The Command, on Friday, July 4, 2024, confirmed the killing at a press conference at the Command’s Headquarters in Ikeja area of the State.
Spokesperson for the Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the suspects were planning to kidnap some wealthy individuals in various areas of the state.adding that the Command had been trailing the suspects for the past eight months.
According to him, the operation that led to their deats was based on intelligence received about two weeks ago and this prompted the State Commissioner of Police, CP Adegoke Fayoade, to direct the tactical team to commence investigations.
He said, “Our intelligence-gathering assets yielded very credible and actionable intelligence about a dangerous and very notorious gang of kidnappers planning to kidnap some high net-worth individuals in Lagos.
He said upon receipt of the intelligence report about two weeks ago, CP Adegoke Fayoade directed the command’s tactical teams to commence work on it. They followed up closely, monitored dutifully and were able to determine that the gang was going to strike yesterday in the Ladipo area of Lagos State.
“With the benefit of this information, we were able to proactively prepare for them and more or less laid an ambush for them. The kidnappers who were caught unawares would not give up easily as they engaged the police officers in a shoot-out.
“Nine of them were neutralised while two escaped with gunshot injuries. Four AK-47 rifles, four locally-made semiautomatic pistols, nine AK-47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, one POS machine and a loudspeaker were recovered from them.
“Guns, bullets and Army uniforms recovered from the kidnappers
The Spokesperson said two operational vehicles including one black Toyota 4Runner and a blue Lexus RX350 were recovered from the suspects as investigation was ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.
Some of te recovered items were displayed during the briefing.
The bodies were packed in a pick-up covered with a piece of cloth as blood was seen drifting on the ground.
“It is worthy of note that the command had been on the trail of this gang for the past eight months for their numerous kidnapping of wealthy individuals in the Isolo, Okota, Ejigbo and Ladipo areas of Lagos State. We are proud to declare that their reign of terror has effectively come to an end.
“This breakthrough is in addition to several other breakthroughs we have made in recent times in identifying and apprehending gangs of kidnappers and armed robbers while planning their crimes. Many of these were not made public to protect the identity of members of the public that made the information available.”
He urged “everyone including medical practitioners to be on the lookout for anyone with gunshot injuries and promptly inform the nearest police station or call any of our emergency numbers if they come across any.
He urged “not to hesitate in giving us information when they suspect anything amiss around them.”
