By Christopher Oji
The Lagos State Police Command has finally neutralised notorious kidnap kingpin Uzoma sharpshooter and eight  members of his gang  in Lagos.
The gang members described by the police as formidable met their Waterloo last Thursday night at Ladipo area of the state.
The notorious gang which had their bass  in the South East , but operated in  all parts of Nigeria including south West,had been on the wanted list of the police for a long period of time.
The gang who  targeted high profile personalities, especially businessmen,had in the recent time abducted some businessmen in  the state.
Their  nefarious activities in Lagos forced the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fayoade Adegoke, to have series  of emergency security meetings  with his tactical squads and he  directed  that  units  must end the reign of the terror  gang.
The gang has  been on the wanted list of the Lagos State Command  in the past eight months, until the fateful Thursday when the efforts of the police paid off .
The gang had stormed  the Isolo area with the list of their targets,but ran into the police ambush , while  nine of them were shot dead during a gun duel with the police, two of them escaped with bullet injuries.
 CP Adegoke ,who paraded the deceased bodies of the  suspects, yesterday, at the command headquarters, Ikeja,said,”  it is our delight to inform Lagosians that the Lagos State Police Command under my stewardship has  recorded a major breakthrough on Thursday, July 4, 2024.
“Our intelligence gathering assets yielded a very credible, actionable and intelligence about a dangerous and very notorious gang of kidnappers planning to kidnap some high net-worth individuals in Lagos”.
The CP who was represented by Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Benjamin Hundyin, said, “upon receipt of this intelligence about two weeks ago, the CP directed the Command’s tactical teams to commence work on it. They followed up closely, monitored dutifully and were able to determine that the gang was going to strike yesterday( Thursday)in Ladipo area of the State.
“With the benefit of this information, we were able to proactively prepare for them and more or less laid an ambush for them.
“The kidnappers, who were caught unawares would not give up easily as they engaged the police officers in a shoot-out. They of course bowed to the superior fire power of the police. Nine of them were neutralised,while two escaped with gunshot injuries. Four AK-47 rifles, four locally-made semi-automatic pistols, nine AK47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, one POS machine, and a loud speaker were recovered from them.
“Also recovered from them are their two operational vehicles: one black Toyota 4Runner and a blue Lexus RX350, while investigations was ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects”
He added that the Command had been on the trail of the gang for the past eight months for their numerous kidnapping of wealthy individuals in Isolo, Okota, Ejigbo, and Ladipo areas of the atate,”  we are proud to declare that their reign of terror has effectively come to an end.
“This breakthrough is in addition to several other breakthroughs we have made in recent times in identifying and apprehending gangs of kidnappers and armed robbers,while planning their crimes.
“We urge everyone including medical practitioners to be on the lookout for anyone with gunshot injuries and promptly inform the nearest police station or call any of our emergency numbers if they come across any of the two,who escaped with gunshots wounds”.