If you are in Lagos stay vigilant at a times, the streets are not smiling. Beyond the neighbourhoods of wealthy residents of the state, there is a general sense of apprehension among residents after a security company, Eons Intelligence, released another advisory asking the residents to look out for the red flags in their daily interactions.
The advisory specifically asked residents to rely more on technology in finding their ways round town rather than seek help from human beings who might turn out to be kidnappers on the prowl.
The intelligence officers behind the public-spirited guide also gave hints about daily movement. The advisory has gone viral, although the state police command is sounding reassuring.
As communities grapple with the unfolding security reality, Saturday Tribune also learnt that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has directed the special intelligence team attached to his office to commence immediate collaboration with the state command for the rescue of those still in captivity of the kidnappers.
The unit, known as Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, is headed by Mr Tunji Disu, an assistant commissioner of police, who replaced celebrity cop, Abba Kyari, who has been suspended following his indictment for money laundering in the United States.
An officer on the team confirmed the development to Saturday Tribune, although he said he was not authorised to speak about it publicly.
Lagos State may not be new to of kidnapping occasional cases incidents but happenings in the last one week have given many residents a cause to worry.
The height of the kidnapping incidents was the abduction of a retired Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sikiru Smith, cousin to a former Inspector General of Police, Musiliu Smith, who currently heads the Police Service Commission.
Smith, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Double Wealth Ventures Limited, had on Monday gone to supervise dredging activities of the financial institution in the Ajah area of the state, when hooded gunmen invaded the area and abducted him.
The driver to the abducted military top brass, Corporal Odiji, who revealed the incident in a Save-Our-Soul message, said that the masked men arrived at the scene of the abduction in a speed boat and fired sporadic gunshots to scare workers at the site before going for their target.
Odiji said: “This is an emergency. I am Corporal Odiji attached to Air Vice Marshal Smith. They just abducted him from the site where we were working. Some gunmen who were wearing masks just came and snatched my boss."
The abduction of the retired AVM occurred less than 24 hours after a man, Ogbuagu Kingsley, was abducted in the auditorium of a church in the FESTAC Town area of the state.
The armed abductors were said to have arrived in a Lexus Sports Utility vehicle, forced their way into the church and abducted their target.
Kingsley’s friends quickly launched a viral online search for him with celebrities like popular ENDSARS campaigner, Rinu Oduala and others retweeting the report of his abduction. Days after, the state police command said he had been rescued and reunited with his family.
There were no details of his rescue and no words on whether ransom was paid.
Also about the same time Kingsley was picked up, a yet-to-be identified man was also reportedly abducted, by another gang of masked men along Admiralty Way in the Lekki area of the state.
Worried by the spike in kidnapping rate in the state, Eons Intelligence released some security tips for residents of the state in an attempt to guard against kidnapping and other forms of crime.
The company stated that apart from AVM Smith, Lekki and FESTAC abductions, there was another incident where a pastor, his wife and their driver were abducted by some hooded gunmen in the Dopemu area of the state. It was gathered that the gunmen later abandoned the driver and took the pastor and his wife away, demanding N100 million.
They were said to have later released the wife and reduced the ransom to N50 million. The released wife was to go and coordinate the ransom payment.
The police later confirmed the abduction of the pastor, promising to secure his release soon. Nothing was mentioned about the demanded ransom.
Scorched-earth response?
Obviously still smarting from the loss of one of its officers to a recent mob attack, the state police command has gone all out to battle the uptick in kidnapping in the state, leading to the killing of two suspected kidnappers during a raid in Ikorodu early Thursday.
The police said it was a burst operation that resulted in exchange of gunfire. While another member of the said gang, Peter Thomas, 25, was arrested, the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said some suspects were equally arrested in connection with Smith’s abduction. Their identities remained under wraps.
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