Barely five months after four landlords and a gym instructor were kidnapped at Isheri Estate at Opic area of Lagos State, a repeat incident occurred i
Barely five months after four landlords and a gym instructor were kidnapped at Isheri Estate at Opic area of Lagos State, a repeat incident occurred in the wee hours of yesterday.
A 20-man heavily armed gang had stormed Road 18, off Olusegun Tawoju Avenue, at Isheri North Estate, GRA, Lagos and abducted the secretary of the estate, Dr. Dayo Adekoya, killing three persons and leaving two others injured. The kidnappers have since established contact and are demanding for an undisclosed sum as ransom.
It was gathered that the gang had scaled the perimeter fence with a ladder and when they gained access into the compound, first destabilised the security guard. However, attempts to gain access into the house initially proved abortive as the man had installed bulletproof doors. When attempts to shoot the door down failed, the kidnappers went round the house and broke the windows to gain access.
The kidnappers then went upstairs to the bedroom and kidnapped Adekoya. It was after kidnapping him that they attempted to abduct some other landlords in the area but were rebuffed by the police and the local vigilante from the O’dua People’s Congress (OPC). According to reports, they had taken Adekoya to knock on the doors of other landlords, in an attempt to use him as a decoy to lure them out, but the landlords who had heard the shots refused to open.
It was at that point that the police operatives stormed the estate and engaged the kidnappers, who had accessed the community through the swampy canal behind the street, in a gun duel that lasted for about four hours. Despite police presence, the kidnappers succeeded in dragging Adekoya towards the creeks and made away with him in their dug out boats while the police who had no swamp buggies but patrol vehicles, watched helplessly as the kidnappers fled with their victim.
Some of the residents of the estate who spoke on condition of anonymity, called on the Nigerian Navy and Marine Police, to partner the state Inland Water Authority to establish an operation solely on inland water security. Also, the state commissioner of police, Owoseni said it was the combative efforts of the police that repelled the gang and prevented them from kidnapping more persons.
“The militants came in through the swampy canal. The timely arrival of the police prevented them from getting more victims because they were using Adekoya to go to people’s houses.
“But that was the time we came in and we prevented them. They ran towards the swamp and as they were running, they were firing and the bullets hit some of the local guards.”
Already, the operatives of the 9 Brigade have deployed drones to the creeks to comb the area in search of possible clues. Also, the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim, has deployed his Special Intelligence Team (IRT), led by ACP Abba Kyari to Lagos to assist in investigation just as the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode directed the state police command to ensure the prompt arrest of the kidnappers.
A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said
“While the state government commiserates with the families of the three dead estate security guards, it will leave no stone unturned to ensure that lives and property of residents in the state are protected.”
Last week, Ambode had demonstrated his seriousness and determination to eradicate the menace of kidnapping when he signed into law the anti-kidnapping bill recently passed by the state House of Assembly. The law imposes a penalty of life imprisonment on kidnapping for ransom and death penalty in the event of death of a kidnapped victim.
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