The Lagos State Police Command has announced a string of significant operational successes for May 2026, including the foiling of a kidnapping attempt, the neutralisation of four armed suspects, and the arrest of individuals linked to armed robbery, cultism, and a billion-naira fuel theft conspiracy.
Commissioner of Police CP Tijani Fatai disclosed the achievements at a press briefing, saying the Command remained “resolute and unwavering in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents of Lagos State.”
In the most dramatic operation of the month, police operatives on May 24 dismantled a kidnapping gang that had set its sights on a wealthy businessman at Jakande Estate Gate, Ejigbo.
According to CP Fatai, intelligence revealed the gang was led by a suspect identified as Ifeanyi, also known as “Ifeko,” who allegedly trained Henry Asoona, the leader of a kidnapping syndicate neutralised at Ladipo International Spare Parts Market in 2024.
“The gang, on sighting the police, opened fire and engaged the operatives in a gun duel,” the Commissioner said. “The operatives responded with superior firepower, leading to the neutralisation of four members of the gang, while one suspect escaped with bullet wounds.”
Recovered from the scene were an AK-47 rifle, an SMG rifle, magazines, 37 rounds of live ammunition, a Toyota Sienna vehicle, and keys to a Toyota Corolla and a Lexus. One Inspector of Police sustained a gunshot wound to the leg and is currently receiving treatment.
In another high-profile case, a suspect linked to the theft of Premium Motor Spirit valued at over ₦1 billion was arrested in Delta State after a 12-day investigation.
Chibuzor Mogbo, 38, was arrested following a complaint by MEA Energy over the alleged conspiracy and theft of fuel worth ₦1,028,825,520. A second suspect, Jessica Anyincha, remains at large.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime and subsequently led operatives to the recovery of cash and properties worth over Three Hundred Million Naira linked to the criminal act,” CP Fatai said.
Detectives also unravelled what turned out to be an elaborate fake kidnapping scheme. On May 19, a man reported his brother, a scrap iron dealer, missing.
A video later emerged showing the purported victim being beaten and threatened, with a ransom demand of ₦1.5 million.
However, police grew suspicious. “Detectives observed inconsistencies, as there were no visible signs of physical assault on the alleged victim after his return home,” the Commissioner noted.
Under interrogation, the victim confessed the kidnapping had been staged alongside accomplices Adelowo Olalekan Akorede, 35, and Yusuf Lukman, 39. The scheme was allegedly designed to defraud the victim’s employer. A diverted sum of ₦490,000 was recovered.
Also, a 57-year-old driver, Akintayo Wasiu, was arrested in Ibadan after allegedly stealing a Toyota Hiace bus from his employer, relocating to Oyo State, and falsifying the vehicle’s documents.
A suspected cult leader, Waliu Olaleye, 31, alleged principal of the Aiye Confraternity in Igando, was arrested after operatives recovered a locally made double-barrelled pistol hidden in the ceiling of his home.
A Toyota Corolla driver, Ejiro Abiriofor, was intercepted during a routine stop-and-search on Fakoya Street, Shasha, and found with a loaded Taiwanese-made revolver pistol and a knife.
Two men, Achepa Solomon and Ihezie Francis, were arrested in Bariga after residents alerted police that they were attempting to move a parked Toyota Sienna. A Honda i-VTEC saloon car was subsequently recovered from them.
CP Fatai used the occasion to appeal to Lagosians for continued cooperation with law enforcement.
“There will be no hiding place for criminal elements within the state,” he warned, urging residents to provide “timely and credible information that will aid crime prevention, prompt response, and effective law enforcement.”
He confirmed that all arrested suspects will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
