In 2017, the arrest of notorious kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, marked the end of his seven-year reign of high-profile abductions across Nigeria, during which he amassed millions in ransom. However, another dangerous gang soon emerged, targeting affluent victims in Lagos. Operating for over a year, this gang specialized in abducting wealthy individuals, demanding ransoms in both naira and dollars.
Their main areas of operation included Ago Palace Way, Isolo, Okota, the popular Ladipo auto spare parts market, Festac, and surrounding areas. Police sources noted that the gang often disappeared through the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, navigating through the Second Rainbow Bus stop and Apple Junction, ultimately hiding in an unknown enclave to negotiate ransoms before relocating. Unlike previous gangs, they insisted on ransoms of at least N1 billion, threatening to kill their victims if the police were informed.
Last week, the gang’s reign of terror ended in the Ladipo area of Lagos when they attempted to kidnap a wealthy international businessman. Alerted by intelligence, the Commissioner of Police Special Squad confronted the gang, resulting in a shootout that left nine gang members dead. Recovered items included four AK-47 rifles, four locally-made semi-automatic pistols, nine AK47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, one POS machine, and a loudspeaker. Two of the gang members narrowly escaped by blending into the crowd.
This dramatic takedown, reminiscent of a Hollywood movie, was executed by detectives from the Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja, trained and selected by Commissioner of Police Adegoke Fayoade. The operation followed months of intelligence gathering on the gang, known for targeting businessmen and collecting substantial ransoms. Previous efforts by three Commissioners of Police had only managed to curtail the gang’s activities without capturing them.
The gang had a history of high-profile kidnappings, including the abduction of a businessman in Ikotun on April 10, 2023, for which they received $8000 in ransom. They kidnapped another businessman the same day in Ago Okota, collecting N5 million. On April 23, 2023, they kidnapped a millionaire in Ago Okota, who paid nearly a billion naira, although his family hid the payment from the police due to threats. The gang continued its spree, demanding ransoms ranging from N8 million to N120 million from various victims across Lagos.
The police finally intercepted the gang at Ladipo market based on a tip-off. The gang, disguised in military uniforms, always used a Toyota 4Runner Jeep and a Lexus 350 SUV for their operations, moving victims out of Lagos and releasing them in Ogun State or Ikotun after ransom payments. Detectives, armed with detailed intelligence, confronted the gang at their planned kidnapping site, resulting in a prolonged shootout that neutralized nine members.
As the operation concluded, the police remained vigilant, pursuing the remaining gang members and planning raids on their hideouts, including the homes of their deceased kingpin, who had built mansions for his four wives in the southeastern part of Nigeria. The police’s success marked a significant blow against organized kidnapping in Lagos, restoring a sense of security to the city.