Lagos Police Nab 68 Suspects, Recover Exotic Firearms, Vehicles in Fresh Crackdown on Crime

Lagos Police Nab 68 Suspects, Recover Exotic Firearms, Vehicles in Fresh Crackdown on Crime

By Adeola Oluwole 

Ikeja, Lagos – August 11, 2025 — The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 68 suspects and recovered an assortment of firearms, vehicles, and other exhibits in a renewed onslaught against armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping, and other serious crimes across the state.

Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, detailing the Command’s operations over the past four weeks.

According to him, the arrests were the product of new crime prevention strategies implemented since his assumption of office, aimed at prompt detection and prevention of criminal activities.

“Our goal is to ensure the safety of all Lagosians, protect government and private investments, and create an environment where business can thrive without fear,” CP Jimoh stated.

He credited the successes to operational support from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whose continuous provision of modern equipment, technology, and logistics has reduced the Command’s response time to distress calls to around five minutes.

Arrests and Recoveries

The Command arrested suspects for offences including murder, armed robbery, cultism, unlawful possession of firearms, fraud, kidnapping, vehicle theft, illicit drugs, and public disturbance.

Recovered items include:

• 4 vehicles – two minibuses, an unregistered Toyota Camry, a Toyota RAV4, and a Mercedes-Benz E350
• 17 firearms – including English pistols, a Beretta pistol, an AK-49, and locally made pistols
• 99 rounds of ammunition of various calibers
• 19 mobile phones, including a TECNO Spark 20
• 6 laptops and tablets
• 5 identification documents, including naval IDs and a WAEC card
• 2 plate numbers
• A bulletproof vest, axes, hammers, concrete blocks, broken bottles, POS machines, and scam-related documents tied to over ₦500 million in fraudulent transactions.

Key Operations and Successes

1. Securing the 2025 Local Government Elections
Ahead of and during the July 12 polls, the Command deployed a comprehensive security plan, restricting vehicular movement, escorting electoral materials to 13,325 polling units, and ensuring a peaceful process with no major incidents recorded.

2. ₦2 Million Kidnap Rescue
Detectives rescued a 16-year-old boy abducted in Yaba and arrested four suspects in Ikeja, Jakande, and Makoko.

3. Armed Robbery Syndicate Posing as Security Agents
Seven men were arrested in Ejigbo for impersonating security personnel to hijack fuel tankers and carry out armed robberies.

4. ₦500 Million Visa Fraud Syndicate
Four employees of an educational consultancy in Ago-Okota were arrested for defrauding over 100 victims under the guise of facilitating Canadian and Australian work visas.

5. Car Theft Ring Bust
Two suspects were arrested in Ogijo, Ogun State, and Iba, Lagos, for stealing vehicles disguised as hired drivers and dismantling them for parts at Ladipo market.

6. ‘One-Chance’ Robbery Kingpin Arrested
Police intercepted a commercial minibus used for one-chance robberies in Ikeja, rescuing a victim pushed out of the vehicle. Weapons and a Toyota RAV4 were recovered.

7. Recovery of High-Value Vehicles
The Command recovered a Lexus 2021 hybrid SUV valued at ₦75 million, suspected stolen abroad, and a Suzuki minibus used in one-chance robberies.

CP Jimoh assured Lagosians that the Command will sustain its momentum against crime, urging the public to provide timely intelligence to aid police operations.

“We will continue to ensure optimal deployment of human and operational resources across Lagos. Crime will be brought to the barest minimum,” he said.