9 killed kidnappers in Lagos target millionaires, raked over N500m

Group linked to terrorists as residents say kidnappers not from SW

By Samuel Ogunsona

The nine kidnapers killed by the police in Lagos are not from the South West, a reilliable senior police officer told Irohinoodua.

According to the source, the armed kidnappers have been operating for more than one year in Lagos and had raked in over N500m from their victims.

The reliable source said while investigations continue there are suspicions that the armed men are linked to a terrorist group that operates outside the Yoruba States with the chief aim of creating fear, trembling and chaos in the South West.

“The armed men may be raising the funds to prosecute ethnic agenda somewhere outside the South West” he said.

According to him, the nine criminals killed are likely to be mere fronts for a well organised gang that is raising millions of Naira to prosecute war somewhere.

On his part, the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements, (AYDM) said the group is concerned that suspected terrorist groups are now operating on Yoruba soil with the hope of frightening the population and even scaring the Yoruba elite saying that the continuous armed attacks and kidnapping in urban South West may turn “Yorubaland to another South East where the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, (IPOB) has been linked to a string of violence that has forced many Igbo to relocate either abroad or to the South West.

The AYDM General Secretary, Mr Popoola Ajayi urged the South West states to wake up to the reality of threats “from North, East and Central” against the Yoruba Nation.

Ajayi said information at his disposal indicates that the armed men are also targeting rich Yoruba people adding that its not unlikely many Yoruba in Lagos may have been kidnapped and had paid ransome in silence.

He called on the State Governments to summon an emergency meeting of Pan Yoruba groups who have influence in their communities and remain a major source of information for the Governments.

He urged the police to investigate if the armed gang is in anyway linked with armed secessionist groups in Nigeria.

However, The Lagos State Police command at the weekend confirm killing of nine kidnappers in Mushin around the popular Ladipo market in Lagos.

The suspects were killed after minutes of fierce gun battle with the police.

Some weapons which included Nine AK-47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, a POS machine, a loudspeaker, four AK-47 rifles, and four locally manufactured semiautomatic pistols were recovered from them on Thursday night.

Lagos state Police command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who declared the operation as a “major breakthrough” said the command haf trailed the criminals for two-weeks after receiving an intelligent report about the notorious gang in Lagos.

“That two weeks ago, the command received 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

He stated further, “Upon receipt of this intelligence about two weeks ago, CP 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 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. They of course bowed to the superior firepower of the police. Nine of them were neutralized while two escaped with gunshot injuries

“This breakthrough is in addition to several other breakthroughs we have made recently in identifying and apprehending kidnapping and armed robber gangs while they are planning their crimes. Many of these were not made public to protect the identities of the people who provided the information,” he added.

However, Residents of the popular Ladipo community demonstrated excitement about the smooth operation of the police in a viral video obtained by Irohinodua.

Tens of residents were seen hailling the police after the killing of the armed men.

Speaking in the clip, a resident said the criminals had once kidnapped one of the market leaders who paid about N100m.

He also applauded the state police command for their efficient response towards the operation.