Lagos Police Arrest 118 Suspects, Recover Firearms, Cannabis, Telecom Batteries in April Crackdown

Lagos Police Arrest 118 Suspects, Recover Firearms, Cannabis, Telecom Batteries in April Crackdown

The Lagos State Police Command has recorded significant operational breakthroughs in April 2026, arresting 118 suspects linked to armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping, and other violent crimes, while recovering firearms, suspected drugs, and stolen telecom infrastructure across multiple locations in the state.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Olayiwola Fatai, disclosed this during a press briefing, noting that the Command’s intensified intelligence-led operations and proactive policing strategies have continued to yield measurable results in curbing criminal activities and enhancing public safety.

According to the police boss, items recovered within the period include eleven locally fabricated Beretta pistols, one English Beretta pistol, a cut-to-size firearm, two dane guns, nine telecom power batteries, four cutlasses, a knife, 21 bags of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, charms, and other incriminating materials.

Providing a breakdown of operations, the Command said a coordinated raid carried out on April 27 across Ilasan, Lekki, and Maroko led to the arrest of 58 suspects linked to street crimes, including phone snatching and traffic robbery. The suspects are currently under investigation and will be charged to court upon completion of profiling.

In a major breakthrough, police operatives arrested two suspected kidnappers, Elijah Emmanuel, 23, and Tony Ekwane Oghanetega, 21, in Ikorodu. The suspects were linked to the kidnapping and killing of a 17-year-old victim, Thomson Omokhafe Adams, on April 22. Investigations further revealed their involvement in an earlier abduction and murder case in November 2025, where a ransom of ₦300,000 was paid.

The Command also dismantled a telecom vandalism syndicate following intelligence provided by Globacom Nigeria. Three suspects were arrested in Ikeja and Ikorodu, leading to the recovery of nine stolen telecom power batteries.

In separate anti-cultism operations, police arrested multiple suspects across Iwaya, Lagos Island, Ajao Estate, and Festac. At least eight suspected cultists were apprehended during a raid in Iwaya, while 20 others linked to violent clashes were arrested on Lagos Island. Additional arrests were made in Ajao Estate and Festac, where suspects confessed to membership of notorious cult groups.

Police further reported the arrest of a 25-year-old robbery suspect, Destiny Garuba, who allegedly attacked a female victim at Ayetoro Bus Stop. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend his accomplices.

In another case, five suspects were arrested in connection with the killing of Emmanuel Obioson in Ilasan. Preliminary findings revealed that the suspects belonged to rival cult groups, with ongoing efforts to track fleeing accomplices.

A 19-year-old suspect, Umar Muhammad Abubakar Sodiq, was also apprehended on Anthony Bridge while attempting to rob a passerby. Two locally fabricated pistols were later recovered during follow-up investigations.

Additionally, police intercepted two suspected gun runners attempting to sell a Beretta pistol. The suspects, both aged 20, were arrested, while investigations are ongoing to apprehend the alleged supplier based in Kaduna State.

The Command emphasized that continued mop-up operations across Lagos have led to the recovery of additional firearms and ammunition, reinforcing its commitment to dismantling criminal networks.

CP Fatai assured residents that the Command remains resolute in ensuring that Lagos remains unsafe for criminal elements. He urged members of the public to support security agencies with credible information, adding that all suspects will be prosecuted upon conclusion of investigations.