The Lagos State Police Command claimed its agents apprehended nine kidnappers on Thursday, while two escaped with gunshot wounds.
The command stated that the move was the result of credible and actionable intelligence about a dangerous and notorious gang of kidnappers planning to kidnap certain high-net-worth individuals in Lagos.
SP Benjamin Hundeyin, Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, confirmed this in a statement released on Friday.
Hundeyin added that after receiving the intelligence approximately two weeks ago, police meticulously monitored the situation and determined that the gang planned to strike on Thursday in the Ladipo region of Lagos State.
According to him, “The Command had been on the trail of this gang for the past eight months because of their many kidnappings of wealthy individuals in Isolo, Okota, Ejigbo, and Ladipo regions of Lagos State. We are delighted to announce that their reign of terror has effectively ended.
He explained that despite being caught off guard, the kidnappers did not give up easy, engaging police forces in a shootout.
SP Hundeyin added that the kidnappers surrendered to the police’s superior weaponry, with nine of them neutralised and two escaping with bullet wounds.
“They recovered four AK-47 rifles, four locally made semiautomatic pistols, nine AK-47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, one POS machine, and a loudspeaker.” They also retrieved their two operating vehicles, a black Toyota 4Runner and a blue Lexus RX350. Meanwhile, investigations are underway to apprehend the fleeing individuals,” he said.
Hundeyin asked everyone, especially medical professionals, to keep an eye out for anyone with gunshot wounds and report them to the local police station right once.
He also utilized the means to urge other well-meaning Lagosians to not hesitate to provide police with information if they suspect anything is wrong around them.
