Notorious kidnapper kingpin Uzoma sharpshooter and eight other gang have met their waterloo as the Lagos State Police Command finally neutralized.
The gang described by the police as formidable were neutralised late on Thursday night at Ladipo area of the state.
The notorious gang which had their operational based in Anambra State but strike in all parts of Nigeria including south West.
It was learnt that the gang targeted high profile personality, especially businessmen and women had in recent times abducted some businessmen in Isolo area and collected N 150,000 million ransom.
There activities in Isolo, Okota area of the state forced the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Adegoke Fayoade to have emergency security meeting with his tactical squad which he instructed them that the reign of the gang must come to an end in Lagos and other parts of the country where they operate.
The gang, it was learnt have been on the wanted list of the police in the last eight months, however, the efforts of the police paid off Thursday night when they storm Iadipo area and met their waterloo as police lay ambush for them and nine of them were neutralised in the process and two escaped with bullet injuries.
While parading them on Friday at the command headquarters, Ikeja,, the Commissioner of Police, CP Adegoke Fayoade who was represented by the police Command Public Relation Officer (PPRO), SP Benjamin Hundeyin said that the Lagos Command under the stewardship of Fayoade have recorded a major breakthrough on Thursday, July 4, 2024.
Fayoade said them intelligence gathering assets yielded a very credible, actionable and intelligence about a dangerous and very notorious gang of kidnappers planning to kidnap some high net-worth individuals in Lagos.
He said: “upon receipt of this intelligence about two weeks ago, the CP 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 the 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 fire power of the police. Nine of them were neutralized while two escaped with gunshot injuries. Four AK-47 rifles, four locally-made semiautomatic pistols, nine AK47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, one POS machine and a loud speaker were recovered from them.”
Also recovered from them are their two operational vehicles: one black Toyota 4Runner and a blue Lexus RX350. While investigations was ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.
He added that the Command had been on the trail of the gang for the past eight months for their numerous kidnapping of wealthy individuals in 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.
This breakthrough is in addition to several other breakthroughs we have made in recent times in identifying and apprehending gangs of kidnappers and armed robbers while planning their crimes.
“We urge everyone including medical practitioners to be on the lookout for anyone with gunshot injuries and promptly inform the nearest police station or call any of our emergency numbers if they come across any of the two who escaped with gunshots wounds.