The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered a kidnappers den in Ajah
area of Lagos, killing a suspected leader of the syndicate during a
shoot-out, while three other members were arrested.
Rescued at the end of
the gun duel were two staff of Epe Local Government Area, Samsudeen
Olatunde, 37 and Daramola Muideen Bisoye, 43.
They were abducted a week ago on Abraham Adesanya Street, along
Lekki/Epe expressway when they stopped to answer the call of nature.
The suspects who usually disguised as beggars, disclosed that their
targets were men who usually parked exotic cars to ease themselves
around Ajah and other high brow areas of Lagos.
The operation
The seven-man syndicate said to have been on the wanted list of the
Area ‘J’ Command, Elemoro, for about a year, reportedly met their
waterloo following intelligence report from the area command, consequent
upon which a joint team of operatives from the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad, Ikeja and men of the Area ‘J’ Command led by the Area Commander,
Mr Felix Vwamhi, reportedly stormed the kidnappers’ den, an uncompleted
building located in an area popularly known as General Paint in
Alasia, Ajah.
Sighting the policemen, the kidnappers reportedly opened fire that
triggered a gun duel.Police sources said: "During the hot exchange of
fire, two members of the gang, one of them later discovered to be the
gang leader, identified simply as Akpos and his second in command,
Michael Chinedu Edom, were fatally wounded.
"They were arrested while five others escaped with minor bullet
wounds and one of the guns used by Akpos was recovered including 20
live cartridges."Efforts to revive Akpos to enable police use him to get
the fleeing gang members failed but "Michael survived and was used to
track down two other members, Emmanuel Omoseni and Emeka Agbaji, who
have made confessional statements.
Our targets - Suspect
One of the suspects, Emeka Agbaji, 31, who hails from Ekuoma village
in Ika East Local Government Area of Delta State disclosed: "That
fateful day at about 8pm along Epe Expressway, we saw two persons who
parked their Toyota Yaris saloon car by the roadside and went to
urinate.
"One of our gang members who disguised as a beggar approached the
driver when he wanted to board the car and begged him to assist him with
some money to eat. Out of sympathy the driver gave him N100 and he
prostrated in gratitude."But, as the driver wanted to enter his car, the
supposed beggar held on to the car door and started dragging the door
with him. The occupants were confused and before they knew it, other
members including myself came out of hiding with locally made short guns
and pushed the driver and the passenger inside the back seat of the
car.
"One of us took over the steering wheel and we drove straight to our
camp at General Paint area.“We did not torture the victims. We had not
even started calling their families or the Epe local government council
where we learnt they were working when, all of a sudden, the police
stormed the uncompleted building and rescued them."
Agbaji who said he was lured into kidnapping by the late Akpos
confessed that he was once a robber."But at a point, I decided not to
steal again. I was tempted to join because Akpos advised me to be
saving one tenth of any money I got through kidnap for court case,
saying kidnap was a bailable offence and that he had formidable hands in
the boys he recruited from Delta State.
This is my first time of joining them and I was promised N500,000 at the end of the day," he said.
I intended travelling with my share —Another suspect
For Michael Chinedu Edom, 25, a native of Isiekenesi village in
Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State: "I was also lured by
late Akpos, with a promise of more than N2 million when we receive the
ransom."We were told that each of the victims’ families would be made to
pay N7 million. At least I knew I would have got over N2 million with
which I intended to travel out of Nigeria."I joined out of frustration
because all the menial jobs I ventured into fetched me nothing.
"First, I started as a conductor and got only N1,000 at the end of
each day which was not enough to fend for myself, let alone my wife and
baby who live with a family friend."I was squatting with friends in an
uncompleted building because I could not afford to pay the rent around
Ajah."My role in this was to provide a hideout for the gang. I was
promised N10,000 per day. I was not there when they did the job.
I was in a restaurant all through but was forced to run out during
the gun duel. In my attempt to escape, one of the arrested persons
sighted me and revealed my identity to the police."
We are only kidnappers not robbers — Third suspect
The third suspect who identified himself as Emmanuel Omoseni, 33,
from Zion People village in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State,
claimed to be a teacher in a private school in the
area. Omoseni
said he was tempted to provide the gang a hiding place after being
promised N100,000."As at then, I had not been paid two months salary.
Even the two months salary was not up to the N100,000 promised. My only
regret is that I ended up not getting a dime."
Source: [Vanguard]
That's sad.
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