More than a week after, the heroics of officers of the Lagos State Police command at busting the deadly kidnap gang terrorising some parts of mainland Lagos around the Ladipo Spare-parts market in Mushin remains talk of the town. IBRAHIM ADAM and UDEH ONYEBUCHI take a look at events of that night as well as events leading to it.
In a well-coordinated operation, which may have gone down as one of the most daring of police operations in Lagos in recent years, the Lagos State Police Command penultimate Thursday (July 4 2024) successfully busted a kidnapping gang; thwarting their mission on the night and neutralising nine of them in the process.
Most remarkable is the fact that despite the heavy exchange of firepower and the fact that the confrontation happened early evening in an otherwise bustling vicinity, there was not a single civilian casualty.
That operation also highlighted the State Police’s commitment to tackling and stamping out all crimes and ensuring public safety in the nation’s commercial capital.
Notably, the use of intelligence and preparation played a crucial role in thwarting the kidnappers’ daredevil mission, showcasing the ability and effectiveness of the Nigeria Police in high-stake situations.
Not even the arrest of the notorious kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike more popularly known as Evans, drew as much applause and appreciation as this Ladipo operation, chiefly because of its precision. For those who may not know, the Ladipo Auto Spare-parts Market area is a usually crowded area that hardly becomes desolate until late into the night, yet the police were able to quietly shepherd away this crowd before it commenced the operation that lasted about two hours.
Evans, it will be recalled, orchestrated multiple kidnappings in Lagos and Ogun states, and was wanted even in Edo, Delta and Anambra states, before he was captured in his Magodo mansion after a prolonged shootout.
However, this group of audacious kidnappers may have replaced him, focusing primarily on Lagos.
The gang members operated freely for over a year, targeting stupendously rich victims, from whom they collected humongous ransom in naira and dollars.
Their areas of operation included Ago Palace Way, Isolo, Okota, the popular auto spare parts market in Ladipo, Festac, and environs. Police sources say they usually disappeared through the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, meandering through the ever-busy Second Rainbow Bus stop and Apple Junction, and ending up in a yet-to-be-known enclave.
From there, they would negotiate the ransom for their victims before relocating out of the city. The difference in their mode of operation was that they always insisted on collecting nothing less than N1 billion or their victim would be killed.
Harrowing kidnappings
Since 2014, Nigeria has witnessed series of harrowing kidnappings, with Boko Haram’s 2014 and 2018 abduction of the Chibok and 100 Dapchi schoolgirls standing out as some of the most infamous.
The trend continued with the December 2020 abduction of over 300 boys in a school in Kankara, Katsina State by armed bandits. Their eventual release highlighted the growing influence of these groups in North-western Nigeria, who increasingly turned to mass kidnappings for ransom. Such events revealed the alarming expansion of banditry and the state’s struggle to curb the menace.
More recently, the spate of kidnapping has spread nationwide. March 2021 saw students abducted from Kaduna’s Federal College of Forestry Mechanization while May 2021 witnessed over 100 students taken from an Islamic school in Niger State. This is not forgetting the March 2022 Abuja passenger train incident, where 10 people were killed and 61 abducted.
These incidents reflect a deepening crisis, fuelled by poverty and inadequate security, perpetuating a climate of fear across the country.
On Saturday, June 15, 2024, four Lebanese nationals, including the Managing Director of Fouani Company, a key representative of LG and Hisense, were reportedly kidnapped in Lagos. The incident occurred in broad daylight, as the victims were ambushed while travelling by boat from Apapa to Victoria Island, near the Falomo Bridge. They were released after the kidnappers collected the sum of $1.5 million.
Night to remember
For the bad guys, it was a horrible night, but for the Nigeria Police and the good people of Lagos, law abiding citizens of Lagos, that Thursday July 4 will go down as a night to remember.
For about two hours, the police and the suspected kidnappers exchanged relentless gunfire. for those within ear-shot, it was like in the movies
Eyewitnesses report that the gun battle began around 8 p.m.; the initial thought was that robbers were targeting one of the many banks in the area.
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Unexpectedly, Ladipo Road, known for its vibrant Auto Spare Parts Market and banking activities suddenly became a battleground. The usually bustling street fell silent, as shopkeepers shuttered their businesses while residents and passersby quickly sought available refuge for safety.
As the gun battle persisted, witnesses say police backup units arrived, intensifying the standoff.
The unsuspecting kidnappers had arrived the scene in their vehicles but on realising that they may have run into a police trap, started shooting frantically, not knowing that the whole area had been cordoned off by heavily armed policemen.
In the end, nine of the kidnappers were neutralised while two escaped with bullet wounds.
Reports say detectives held back from shooting at the fleeing gang members to avoid hitting the wrong targets. Bullets from the kidnappers’ weapons hit the engine of one police vehicle and also hit a policeman in the jaw. He has since been treated and discharged.
Their numerous crimes
The police say the gang, made up of trigger-happy criminals, kidnapped a businessman on April 10, 2023, in the Ikotun area of the state around 4 p.m., and the victim paid $8,000 as ransom.
The gang, which in most cases carried out its operations with a Lexus 350 SUV and 4 Runner jeep, kidnapped another businessman on the same date around 11:30 p.m. at Ago Okota, using the same vehicles and later collected a ransom of N5 million.
On April 23, 2023, the gang struck again; this time, they went to kidnap a popular millionaire who dealt in assorted drinks at Ago Okota. He reportedly paid nothing less than a billion naira, but the family hid it from the police on account of threats from the kidnappers. A similar fate befell another rich businessman at Ikotun the same day.
They later collected ransoms in three tranches of $6,000 and $3,600, and another N8million collected from another rich businessman, whom they abducted in the same Ikotun area.
Smooth Operation
The Lagos State Police Command Spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that the gang were on a mission to kidnap some wealthy individuals.
“Our intelligence-gathering assets yielded very credible and actionable intelligence about a dangerous and very notorious gang of kidnappers planning to kidnap some high-net-worth individuals in Lagos.
“Upon receipt of this intelligence about two weeks ago, CP Adegoke Fayoade 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 the Ladipo area of Lagos 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.”
The state PPRO added that: “They of course bowed to the superior firepower of the police. Nine of them were neutralised while two escaped with gunshot injuries. Four AK-47 rifles, four locally-made semi-automatic pistols, nine AK-47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, one POS machine, and a loudspeaker were recovered from them,”
Hundeyin said two operational vehicles, including one black Toyota 4Runner and a blue Lexus RX350, were recovered from the suspects, noting that the investigation was ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.
“It is worthy of note that the command had been on the trail of this gang for the past eight months for their numerous kidnappings of wealthy individuals in the 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.”
Some eyewitnesses account
One eyewitness recounted: “When the shooting started, we thought it was fireworks. Before the kidnappers could assemble themselves, the police fired at them. They were totally caught unawares. And the good thing? There were no civilian casualties. It was a well-planned operation.
“This was the first time we would be seeing such a smooth operation from the police without any casualty. It was as if we were watching a movie. The operation was clean, and the police hit their targets.”
Another eyewitness described the intensity of the encounter :”It was a serious gunfight that lasted close to two hours. When the exchange of fire was over, the police interviewed us, and we told them all we observed. They did well, and we praised them for their bravery.”
A third eyewitness shared a personal account of the moments leading up to the confrontation.
“In this life, you have to be careful because you don’t know who is sitting with you or talking to you. These men sat with me, and I never knew they were policemen. Around 8 pm, they identified themselves and asked us to pack and leave the area, which we did immediately. In less than 20 minutes, from a distance, we heard gunshots, which made me dive into the gutter. All I was praying for was for a bullet not to reach where I was. We thank God they were able to capture them, and we say thank you to them.”
Yul Edochie denies friendship with alleged kidnapper
Yul Edochie, the renowned Nigerian actor, has firmly denied any personal relationship with Henry Odenigbo, clarifying that their interaction was strictly professional and limited to a movie set.
Edochie emphasised that he only met Odenigbo during the filming of “Sharon’s Fate” in June and had no personal relationship with him.
He explained that Odenigbo had requested a photo with him during the production, which he granted, stating that it is the same photo that is being circulated across the social media space, sparking rumours of a friendship.
The actor expressed his shock upon learning about Odenigbo’s alleged criminal activities, insisting that he had no prior knowledge of the producer’s involvement in any illegal acts.
Edochie’s denial comes amid reports suggesting that Odenigbo was the leader of a kidnapping gang and had used his film production company as a front for his criminal operations.
“According to the police, the guy is a kidnapper. I’ve heard stories and noticed that some blogs posted my picture with him, implying he’s my friend. So, I want to state that the guy wasn’t my friend. I’ve been in Nollywood for 19 years, going on 20 years.
“I only saw this guy once when I shot a movie for him a few weeks ago. A director contracted me for a movie and paid me for a job. I even thought it was the director’s movie until I came to the set and met this guy.
“I think he called himself Ason-Rich Henry. He came to me, introduced himself as Ason-Rich Productions, and said his name was Henry.
”We greeted them, I shot the movie, and on the last day of shooting, he came to me and said he was so excited that he finally got to work with me. I think he also played a role in the movie. He asked if he could take a picture with me, and I said okay. We took pictures, and I left for the next set.
“That was the first time I saw him, and I never saw him again. That’s the picture a lot of people are circulating,” Edochie said.
Actors Guild deny movie producer
In a swift reaction, the Chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Rivers State Chapter, Osuwa Chigozie, has dissociated the group from the filmmaker, Odenigbo, and three other persons who were also film practitioners.
The Guild, in a statement, said the three persons who died in the shootout with the police were not members.
“The Rivers State chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria at this moment disclaims any affiliation with the individuals who tragically lost their lives in a recent robbery incident in Lagos. Specifically, Prince Henry Asonna (Executive Producer of Aso Rich), Angel Emanuzo (Associate Producer), Chris Ahaneku (Logistics Manager-Aso Rich), and Jerry Eze (Camera Assistant) were not members of our guild. They were not part of our organisation.”
Similarly, AGN’s Financial Secretary, Emeka Duru, explained that none of the slain kidnappers were members of the guild.
Duru added that crediting the kidnappers to Nollywood because they made a movie is not doing justice to the industry.
“They didn’t belong to any organisation in Nollywood. They just came with their ill-gotten money and hired actors. An actor is not supposed to wake up and start asking you where you got your money from before he works for you.
“The people who were killed are not members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria. No soul has any business with the Actors Guild of Nigeria’s Rivers State chapter. The funniest thing about it was that the one they call the producer, the ringleader, is not.”
Frontline actors, including Kanayo O. Kanayo, have condemned the association of the kidnappers with Nollywood, stressing that Odenigbo and his associates were not recognised members of any legitimate film industry organisation. They urged the public to differentiate between genuine filmmakers and individuals using the industry as a front for nefarious activities.