Police arrest 68 suspects, smash robbery, cultism, kidnapping rings in Lagos

By Efe Onodjae, Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command says it has recorded major breakthroughs in its ongoing war against armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping, and other violent crimes, arresting 68 suspects and recovering a cache of exotic firearms, stolen vehicles, ammunition, and fraud-related items worth over N500 million in the past four weeks.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, disclosed this yesterday at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, during a press briefing on recent security achievements.

According to him, the sustained clampdown on criminals followed the deployment of new crime prevention strategies and rapid-response operations aimed at reducing Lagos’ crime rate and safeguarding lives, property, and investments.

CP Jimoh praised the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, for equipping the Command with modern crime-fighting tools, and lauded Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s continuous logistical support, which he said has cut police response time to distress calls to about five minutes.

Highlights of major cases
During the period under review, the Command arrested suspects for crimes ranging from murder, armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms, advance fee fraud, kidnapping, vehicle theft, illicit drug offences, and cultism.

Recovered items include 17 firearms—among them English pistols, a Beretta pistol, AK-49 rifle, and locally-made guns—99 rounds of live ammunition, four vehicles (including a Mercedes-Benz E350, Toyota RAV4, unregistered Toyota Camry, and two minibuses), 19 mobile phones, laptops, naval IDs, bulletproof vests, and weapons such as axes and hammers.

Also recovered were scam-related documents linked to a N500 million visa fraud, allegedly perpetrated by an educational consultancy that duped over 100 victims seeking Canadian and Australian work permits.

Election security success
The CP said the Command ensured a peaceful and incident-free 2025 Local Government election held on July 12, with no major security breaches recorded. A joint “Show of Force” operation was conducted two days before the polls, and vehicular movement was restricted during voting.

Notable arrests
Kidnapping & Armed Robbery: A gang that abducted a 16-year-old boy and collected N2 million ransom was smashed, with four suspects arrested in Ikeja, Jakande, and Makoko.
Robbers Impersonating Security Agents: Seven men accused of hijacking fuel tankers while dressed in security uniforms were arrested in Ejigbo.

N500m Visa Fraud Syndicate: Four suspects linked to a massive visa scam were arrested, with manhunts ongoing for others.
Vehicle Theft Ring: A syndicate that deceived car owners into hiring them as drivers before fleeing with the vehicles was busted.

‘One Chance’ Robbers: Three suspects, including a notorious gang leader, were arrested in Ikeja after pushing a female victim out of a moving bus.
Armed Robbers at Mile 12: Two suspects were caught in the act of robbing passengers.
High-Value Stolen Vehicles: Police intercepted a Lexus 2021 hybrid SUV worth over N75 million, suspected to be stolen from outside Nigeria.

CP Jimoh assured Lagos residents that the Command would sustain the pressure on criminals, adding: “We implore Lagosians not to hesitate to contact the police if they see any suspicious activities around them. Under my watch, crime and criminality will be brought to the barest minimum.”

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