The Police Command in Lagos State has recorded major operational breakthroughs in its ongoing fight against crime, including the foiling of a kidnap attempt, neutralisation of four suspected kidnappers, arrest of armed robbery and cultism suspects, and the recovery of arms, ammunition, stolen vehicles and cash linked to criminal activities across the state.
Addressing journalists during a press briefing on the Command’s achievements for May 2026, the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, said the successes reflect the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing, proactive crime prevention and rapid response operations aimed at safeguarding lives and property in Lagos State.
According to the Police Commissioner, a total of ten suspects were arrested during various operations conducted across the state within the period under review.
Recovered exhibits included three AK-47 rifles, two submachine guns, a double-barrel pump-action gun, locally fabricated pistols, magazines, forty-two rounds of live ammunition, a dummy gun, a motorcycle, an axe and other dangerous weapons.
One of the major breakthroughs recorded by the Command involved the foiling of a planned kidnap operation targeting a businessman at Jakande Estate Gate in Ejigbo on May 24.
Police said operatives acted on credible intelligence concerning a notorious kidnapping syndicate allegedly led by a suspect identified simply as Ifeanyi, also known as “Ifeko,” who was reportedly linked to previous high-profile kidnapping operations in Lagos.
The Command disclosed that the gang members opened fire on police operatives during the operation, leading to a gun duel in which four suspects were neutralised, while another escaped with gunshot wounds.
Items recovered from the scene included a Toyota Sienna vehicle, one AK-47 rifle with magazines and ammunition, one SMG rifle, and vehicle keys suspected to belong to intended targets.
An Inspector of Police reportedly sustained gunshot injuries during the exchange and is currently receiving treatment.
In another operation, operatives arrested a 57-year-old suspect, Akintayo Wasiu, in Ibadan, Oyo State, over the theft of a Toyota Hiace bus allegedly stolen from his employer.
Police said the suspect changed the vehicle’s documents and phone number in a bid to evade arrest before he was tracked and apprehended.
The Command also recovered a locally made double-barrel pistol from the residence of a suspected cult leader identified as Waliu Olaleye during a raid on a hideout in Igando.
In a separate case involving conspiracy and theft of Premium Motor Spirit valued at over one billion naira, police arrested one Chibuzor Mogbo in Delta State after weeks of investigation.
The suspect allegedly confessed to the crime, while cash and properties worth over three hundred million naira linked to the operation were recovered.
Police also uncovered an alleged self-kidnapping plot involving a scrap iron dealer who reportedly staged his own abduction alongside accomplices in an attempt to extort one-point-five million naira from his employer.
Investigators recovered four hundred and ninety thousand naira allegedly diverted by the suspect, while the workshop used to produce the fake kidnapping video was identified during investigations.
Other operations led to the arrest of suspected vehicle vandals in Bariga, the interception of an armed robbery suspect with a revolver pistol and ammunition in Shasha, and the recovery of a locally fabricated Beretta pistol abandoned by fleeing hoodlums in Ikola.
CP Fatai assured Lagos residents that the Command would sustain aggressive intelligence-driven policing operations to rid the state of criminal elements.
He also urged residents to continue supporting the police with timely and credible information, stressing that all suspects arrested would be charged upon the conclusion of investigations.
Reporting By Niran Odufayo