By Bayo Oladortu
The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered a criminal hideout disguised as a shrine in the Idimu area of the state and arrested several suspected kidnappers and fraudsters.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, who led journalists to the location along Pipeline Road, said the premises served as an operational base for a notorious “one-chance” and kidnapping syndicate.
According to him, the suspects were arrested following intelligence-led stop-and-search operations carried out in the early hours of Sunday.
He said three members of the gang were first intercepted at Bode Thomas in Surulere, while operating a vehicle used to lure unsuspecting victims.
The police boss explained that the syndicate targeted members of the public under the guise of selling foreign currency or fake investment schemes.
Victims who refused to cooperate were allegedly taken to the fake shrine, detained and their families contacted for ransom.
He added that the gang often targeted early morning worshippers going to churches and mosques, taking advantage of low movement and reduced security presence.
Police investigations later led operatives to the shrine, where weapons and other incriminating items were recovered.
Additional raids in the area resulted in more arrests, bringing the total number of suspects arrested to fourteen.
Some of the suspects admitted that the shrine was used to detain victims, while others confirmed their roles in luring people into the gang’s vehicles.
The Commissioner of Police assured residents that Lagos remains safe, stressing that security has been strengthened with the deployment of tactical and undercover teams across the state.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements to security agencies, assuring that investigations would continue to dismantle the entire criminal network.
