No fewer than nine members of a notorious kidnapping gang who had plotted to abduct some wealthy people in Lagos State were killed during a raid at Ladipo by operatives of the state’s police command.
According to a reliable source, it was gathered that some shootings took place at Oloje Street, Papa Ajao, in the Mushin area on Thursday night, which they thought were cult-related.
The source said, “There was pandemonium in our area when we heard some shootings at the Papa Ajao area yesterday night, and it was a shoot-out. We thought it was cult activity in the area that seemed to be engaging the police in a shootout. We heard six of these criminals were dropped.”
However, in a statement made on Friday, state Police Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin said that the command received intelligence information about the hazardous gang’s plan to attack certain inhabitants of the region two weeks ago.
He said, “Upon receipt of this intelligence about two weeks ago, Commissioner of Police, 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 lay 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. They, of course, bowed to the superior firepower of the police. Nine of them were neutralised, while two escaped with gunshot injuries.
‘Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects. It is worthy of note that the command has been on the trail of this gang for the past eight months for their numerous kidnappings 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.”
“Four AK-47 rifles, four locally-made semiautomatic pistols, nine AK-47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, one Point of Service machine, a loudspeaker, and two operational vehicles—one black Toyota 4Runner and a blue Lexus RX350—were recovered from the suspects,” Hundeyin added.
