OLALEKAN OLABULO reports the circumstances leading to police killing a notorious gang of kidnappers in Lagos last week.

THEY may not be as popular and notorious as Chukudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, the kidnap kingpin whose reign as the prince of the underworld sent high-profile and influential residents of Lagos into panic, but the record of kidnappers who died during a fierce gun duel with policemen in Lagos last week can compare favourably with that of Evans. The neutralisation of the members of the gang has been considered as one of the best achievements of the Lagos State police command in recent years.

The command described the neutralisation of the nine members of the gang as a breakthrough. Two fleeing members of the gang also have police on their trail.

Saturday Tribune gathered that the gang, which comprised members from the South East and South South, was lurking around Ladipo International Auto Spare Parts Market for its next target when it was engaged by the police in a gun duel.

Investigations by Saturday Tribune revealed that the gang was responsible for some of the abductions involving top businessmen in the market. It was also gathered that the family of the victim of their last successful operation was made to cough up a ransom of about N100 million.

Police investigations revealed that the gang was responsible for the high-profile kidnapping in FESTAC Town, Ago Okota, Ejigbo, Isolo, Ladipo Market and some parts of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area. It was also revealed that the gang had a base in Lagos State where it kept its victims.

A police source told Saturday Tribune that: “The killing of the kidnappers was a big success to the command. We were on their trail for many months, but there was nowhere to trace them to. They operated at different places and their targets were the super rich people in Lagos State.

“It was clear that they had informants who gave them tips on their targets. The kidnappers were highly sophisticated. They had escaped from us on different occasions in the past. We had arrested some people in connection with their activities in the past but the killing of the nine members is the real deal.

“What they usually did was that they assembled at their hideout in Lagos, kidnapped three or four persons at a time and collected huge sums of money in naira and foreign currencies as ransoms. Then they would return to their different locations and wait till there was another operation. They were very organised. This gang used expensive vehicles for their operation in Lagos State.”

The source added: “They were not new in Lagos. The command had been on their trail for about a year. Each time they operated, they disappeared without a trace. Even when we arrested some people that were linked to them in the past, the leaders vanished into thin air.

“It was actually men of the CP Squad 1 that put an end to their reign. The squad had been on their trail since their activities were reported. The command got a report that they were in Lagos and would be striking around Ladipo International Market. The CP instantly ordered the officer in charge of the squad to ensure a breakthrough.

“Last week, they arrived in Lagos, as usual, for their operation. Their target this time was the Ladipo International Market where they had, in December 2023, abducted an international businessman. The man was taking inventory of the vehicles that were delivered to him when the gang struck.

“Initially, they demanded a N500 million ransom, but they released him after receiving about N100,000 million from his relatives. He was not the only person that was abducted around that time. They also abducted other people and collected ransoms running into around one billion naira from their relatives.”

The informed source disclosed that the gang was responsible for the abduction of a businessman in the Ago Okota area of Isolo. In April 2023, the gang also reportedly struck in the Ikotun area of the state where it abducted an international businessman and succeeded in collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars before releasing him.

The Saturday Tribune source said: “They (the kidnappers) were lurking around Ladipo Market to pounce on their target for this last operation but unknown to them, the police was in possession of credible intelligence about their operation. Just about a month ago, they abducted this same target of theirs who is one of the chairmen at the market and collected over N100 million from his family.”

On how the police were able to overpower the kidnappers, the source revealed that: “It is always very difficult, such operation. The police had to be very cautious in order not to kill innocent citizens. Our men had stationed themselves around the target of the kidnappers and we were watching very vigilantly.

“When they arrived in the area, they sighted the policemen and immediately opened fire. Their target was the driver so as to demobilise the patrol vehicle and rain bullets on our men. The kidnappers had two vehicles, a Lexus 350 SUV and a Toyota 4Runner. Their leader and one other person were in the Lexus SUV while the others were in the 4Runner.

“They opened fire on our vehicle. The bullets narrowly missed our driver, who was slightly injured, and our men responded immediately, resulting in the neutralisation of the leader and eight members of the gang. Two escaped with serious bullet wounds.”

Investigation by Saturday Tribune revealed that the gang had a sound system which played at a high volume whenever victims were being tortured or ransom was being negotiated with their families.

The spokesman of the state police command, Benjamin Hundeyin, a Superintendent of Police, while speaking on the neutralisation of the suspects, said: “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 loud speaker were recovered from them. Also recovered were their two operational vehicles: one black Toyota 4Runner and a blue Lexus RX350.”

In a viral video, a trader at the Ladipo International Market commends the police for a “smart and unprecedented operation,” noting that the operation was successful, without any stray bullet hitting anyone around Ojekunle Street where the operation took place. Other traders also decry the high rate of kidnapping incidents in the market, saying that the abductors had been targetting rich businessmen in the market.

The operation was a relief —Lagos CP

The state Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, while speaking exclusively with Saturday Tribune, described the neutralisation of the gang members as a great relief and attributed the success to support from members of the public.

Fayoade said: “We were able to achieve this because of the credible intelligence from the members of the public. I must say that the members of the public have been wonderful in their support for the police. We received this credible intelligence and we started working on it, and glory to God, we were able to achieve success through our diligent, intelligence-driven and well-coordinated operation.

“Before now, we were bothered and worried about their activities. We had been on their trail. We even made some arrests before now. We are not resting on oars.”

On what the command is doing to prevent a regrouping of the gang after two members escaped with bullet wounds, the police boss said: “We are on the trail of those that escaped. They escaped with bullet wounds and I know that they will nurse the bullet wounds for the next few months. Notwithstanding, we will still get them arrested. They cannot hide forever.

“I must tell you that we are even close to getting them arrested. We have done proper profiling of the gang members. We have their records. We know where they are coming from and we know how they operate. We know everything about them.

“They are kidnappers. I believe that they can operate anywhere. What we have in our records are their operations in Lagos State. We know their base. Even before their arrival, we had identified their base. We have gotten the facts. We located their base. We were just waiting for them to come to their base. Their base is around Lagos. I don’t want to mention the particular place.”

On efforts to curtail kidnapping and other crimes in the state, the commissioner said: “Honestly, we have done a lot. The one in Ikorodu has almost been checkmated. The few kidnappings that took place there, we have arrested the perpetrators and they are in our custody being interrogated.

“We have fortified the creeks. You will find our men in the creeks. The Marine Department has also been fortified. They are patrolling the waterways. I just finished a meeting with principals of secondary schools near the waterways. We are putting all measures in place to check the activities of kidnappers both on land and on waterways, especially in the creeks.”

Fayoade said the neutralisation of the gang had brought a great relief to past victims and potential targets.

“They are very happy and excited. They are happy. At least, they have been saved from facing the wickedness and heartlessness of these kidnappers. The horror and agony of being kidnapped, being kept in custody and demand for huge amounts of their hard-earned money is now over.”