Gunmen attack Lagos estate, kidnap four residents

John

Some gunmen on Saturday attacked Lekki Gardens Estate, in the Isheri area of Lagos State and kidnapped four residents.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the assailants entered into the community through the waterways around 8am and first shot sporadically into the air.

Our correspondent was told that the gang whisked away their victims in a speedboat.

It was gathered that the residents were on an early morning jogging exercise when they were taken away.

A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the suspected militants had actually taken nine hostages, adding that only four were taken away because the boat could not take all the victims.

He said, “The incident happened around 8am. The gunmen were between eight and 10 in number. They came in a speedboat and shot into the air for about five minutes. They kidnapped nine people and put them in their operational boat. But when they saw that the boat could not take all of them, they decided to go with only four.

“The operatives of the Rapid Response Squad were alerted and they responded to the situation. As I speak with you, the landlords are deliberating on the incident.”

He explained that as of 8pm on Saturday, the families of the victims had yet to be contacted for ransom.

A police source said policemen from the Lagos and Ogun states division visited the scene, adding that efforts were on to ensure the release of the victims.

“The police from Ogun and Lagos states were there to assess the situation because that place i s a boundary area between the two states,” he said.

The acting spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, but said the area was under the jurisdiction of the Lagos command.

He explained that the Ogun police only supported with some of its operatives.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the command had started investigation into the incident, adding that the suspects would be arrested and the victims rescued unhurt.