Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command, during a gun battle, have killed one Mufutau Sulaiman (Pencil).
Sulaiman was alleged to be a kidnap kingpin who had been terrorising the residents of Ikorodu.
Spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, DSP Bala Elkana, confirmed the development in a statement to newsmen on Monday.
Elkana said that the police had been on the trail of `Pencil’ since he led his gang to kidnap and murder two Bureau-de-Change operators in Ikorodu on March 14.
The statement reads: “A notorious kidnap ring leader who led his deadly gang in the kidnap and murder of two bureau de change operators at Ikorodu on March 14 after collecting a ransom of N1.6 million is dead.
“This brings to an end his reign of terror. His gang has been responsible for mysterious disappearances of people in Ikorodu over a period of time.’’
Elkana said that when such people were kidnapped by the gang; they would demand for ransom from their families.
He said that after then, they would murder them and dump their remains in septic tanks.
“They are serial killers, rapists and cultists.
“ Three members of his gang were earlier arrested by SARS operatives and they led the operatives to their den in Ikorodu.
“There, the corpses of the two Bureau de change operators and two other victims were recovered.
“A sustained monitoring of the fugitive ring leader finally yielded a positive result as the team eventually traced him to his hideout at Odogunyan in Ikorodu.
“On sighting the team led by DSP Rotimi Ogunmuyiwa, the said Mufutau Timileyin Sulaiman ‘m’ popularly known as `Pencil’, engaged them in a gun battle.
“Two SARS operatives namely: Sgt. Omola Adedeji and Sgt. Oluwadare Gbenga sustained various degrees of injuries.
“Also, `Pencil’ sustained bullet wounds on his two legs and all of them were taken to hospital,” he said.
The PPRO said that `Pencil’ was confirmed dead on arrival while the two injured operatives were taken to the intensive care unit where they had been responding to treatment.
He added that one gun with live ammunition and expended ammunition was recovered from the dead kidnapper.
Also, the State Police Command has arrested a land grabber, Ojo Adesola, with four locally made rifles and 38 rounds of live cartridges at Alagbado area of Lagos.
Elkana said that the suspect was arrested on June 21 about 7 a.m. while acting on “credible intelligence” information.
” The surveillance patrol team from Alagbado Police Station arrested one Ojo Adesola, 45. The suspect was flanked down by the surveillance team while conveying arms in a white bus along Amikanle area, Alagbado. Four locally made rifles and 38 rounds of live cartridges were recovered from the bus.
“The suspect, who hails from Ogun State, belongs to a notorious gang of land grabbers and hired killers, terrorising Ogun and Lagos states. They act as war lords, waiting to be hired by anyone who can pay for their services to take over lands by force. They engaged in series of killings and maiming of land owners.
“According to the suspect, they were hired by someone to dislodge land owners at Epe and that he was on his way to pick the other members of the gang for the operation before he was arrested,” the police spokesman said.
He said that the police were on the trail of five other members of his gang who are at large.
In another development, the police is currently investigating the case of a 56-year-old man who was found dead with his mistress in his sitting room at his Ejigbo residence.
DSP Elkana said one Akorede Balogun ‘f’ of Area 2, Igbehindun Estate, New Heaven, Iba, reported at Iba Police Station that her husband, one Rasaki Balogun of No, 16, Taiwo Oke Victory Estate, Ejigbo, was found dead with his mistress in his sitting room.
“A team of detectives led by the Divisional Police Officer, Ejigbo, visited the scene. Corpse of the man and his mistress were found in the pool of their blood with the woman laying on a knife.
“The man is said to be living alone in the house, while his family lives in a different place. Identity of the mistress is yet to be established as he was said to have picked her about two days to the incident from unknown location.
“The crime scene was sealed off for forensic analysis, while the corpses were evacuated to hospital for autopsy. Homicide detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, have taken over the case on the instruction of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu mni.
“Investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding their death,” he said.
