Kidnappers’ battle guards for four hours, kill three

…abduct landlord, demand N100m ransom

Less than a month after kidnappers stormed the Nigerian Turkish International School, located at Isheri, Ogun State, abducting eight females, they have struck again yesterday at Isheri, Lagos boundary, killing three and abducting one of the landlords in the community.

The latest victim in their custody is the secretary of Isheri North Estate,  Mr. Dayo Adekoya. The kidnappers entered his home through his window and later dragged him out through the same window. They disappeared into the creek.

A few hours after Adekoya was abducted, the kidnappers called his wife and demanded for recharge card of N5, 000 and later an N100million ransom.

Although the kidnappers are known for serenely walking into communities to grab victims and sail, they, however, met a stiff resistance yesterday as they attempted to enter the Isheri community.

Local security guards were said to have given them a run for their money, leading to a protracted gun duel that lasted for five hours.

The kidnappers, said to be 11 in number, eventually entered the community after killing three of the guards and inflicting gunshot injuries on two others.

After breaching the security of the community, they grabbed the secretary of the Estate, Mr. Dayo Adekoya.

A resident said: “They started shooting at about 7pm and finally gained entrance into the community by 11pm on Wednesday. They went to the victim’s home and abducted him.”

The guards that lost their lives have been identified as Sheun, Sheun and Jimoh Lawal alias Frayo. The injured guards are Raji Enitan and Ibrahim Oguntade.

Residents said that one of the kidnappers scaled through the fence of the victim’s house and opened the gate for other gang members.

After entering the compound, the kidnappers tried to force their way through the main door leading to Adekoya’s sitting rooming.

When they couldn’t open it, they went behind the door and pulled down the window and took the victim through the window.

When the kidnappers were leaving with the victims, the guards, who had called for re-enforcement, tried to rescue the victim as they engaged the gunmen in another gun duel. They failed.

A resident of the estate, who does not want his name mentioned, said: “The guards did their best to prevent the gunmen from taking the victim away. Since the guards started hearing the gunshots of the kidnappers, they placed themselves in a strategic location in the estate. Some of the guards hid themselves close to the victim’s house. As three the guards, who hid in the resting bay came out, the kidnappers shot them. They died on the spot. Some of the guards, who escaped, immediately called for reinforcement from their colleagues in nearby estate. Two among the kidnappers also sustained gunshot injuries as they were escaping.”

The remains of the guards were later evacuated and deposited at a mortuary, while those who sustained injuries were taken to hospital.

Family members and friends of the Adekoya were seen thronging to his house to sympathies with the wife and children.

The grieving security guards accused residents of not providing them with adequate firearms and other gadgets to challenge the kidnappers.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP) Mr. Fatai Owoseni, was at the scene, accompanied by Commander 9th Brigade, General Elias Attu and some soldiers.

Owoseni said: “I sympathise with families of the guards who lost their lives. We responded to the distress call about the gunmen infiltration into the estate promptly. The estate is seriously porous. We came here to do a better assessment of the area. The community is borderless; because of our prompt response, we were able to stop the kidnappers because they wanted to use the victim as bait to kidnap another landlord in the estate.”

Owoseni added: “The kidnappers went away with Adekoya. We’re putting our heads together with the army to secure the release of the victim and prevent such occurrences in the future.”

The Chairman of Isheri North Estate, Mr. Remi Isijo said: “The executives are already working with the police and other security agencies towards finding a swift resolution to the crisis. We, the residents of the estate are devastated and struggling to come to term with the dastardly act. We also condole with families of those that died.”