A sigh of ease and a feel of peace is what residents of the satellite town community and other neighboring communities in the Amuwo-Odofin Local government in Lagos are now experiencing.
Its been a long months of manhunt for the dreaded gang terrorizing the satellite town axis and environs in Amuwo-Odofin LGA area of Lagos state.
The detectives in Lagos state has finally arrested the suspected leader of the criminal gang.
The residents had resisted being extorted, but many were left wounded and properties destroyed before the suspect’s waterloo.
According to reports, two persons were feared killed during the crisis that erupted on Saturday morning, 18th July 2020 and their bodies were taken away to an unknown place.
Trouble started after members of the gang stormed a warehouse in Abule-Osun with the intention of extorting money from the owner, but the attempt was resisted, leading to the crisis.
It was gathered that the Commander of FESTAC Police Area Command, ACP Halilu Muawiya, ordered the Divisional Police Officer in-charge of Satellite Police Station, CSP Chike Oti, to quell the crisis.
The arrest of one of the hoodlums, identified as Yusuf, a middle-aged man and popularly called Prince, triggered wild jubilation by residents who had been subjected to killings, extortion, harassment and intimidation for long by the gang.
Described as a combatant, the arrested suspect, sources said, had also spearheaded series of attacks on truck and tanker drivers plying Abule-Ado, Abule-Osun, Alakija, Fin Niger, some parts of FESTAC, Old Ojo Road, Satellite Town, the expressway from Mile 2 to Trade Fair Complex and environs.
The gang was also alleged to have been involved in robbery attacks on motorists plying the expressway at night during gridlocks.
Festaconline Media learnt that the police have had several deadly encounters with the vicious gang led by the arrested suspect and each time, they escaped to their hideout in Badagry after attacks, which often lead to bloodletting, only to strike again when the coast becomes clear.
Since then this gang has been declared wanted by the police late last year.
Sources in the neighborhood also disclosed that series of petitions about the deadly activities of the gang were sent to different police formations in the state without actions taken to call them to order.
Residents in the area disclosed that the suspect and his gang members were responsible for the attacks and forceful confiscation of many properties belonging to people in the area who failed to be extorted huge sums of money.
According to sources, they were the people that carted away goods worth millions of naira after breaking into the warehouse of a popular moviemaker, Gabosky Okoye, early this year.
“They also nearly killed another businessman who refused to pay the N10million levy they illegally imposed on his warehouse by subjecting him to series of torture and beating, leading to his being flown overseas, where he has been reclined permanently on a wheelchair as a result of the injuries he sustained.”
It was further gathered that the gang, last year, abducted six policemen from police headquarters who came to the area for surveillance, subjected them to hours of flogging and punishment before carting away their weapons.
Some policemen from Satellite division later succeeded in retrieving the weapons after pacifying them.
Furthermore, it was gathered that the gang also invaded Oriade Local government headquarters after their officials went to work in Oguntade community and unleashed mayhem in their offices but no official action was taken against them.
Siimilarly, the officers in Area ‘E’ have arrested two commercial motorcyclists for operating on the express road and seized over 40 motorcycles after their owners attacked them.
It was gathered that `trouble started after the enraged commercial motorcyclists numbering over a hundred started pelting policemen who were chasing them for plying the highway.
The motorcyclists nearly succeeded in over powering the armed policemen but for a swift reinforcement, which led to their withdrawal.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police spokesman, SP Bala Elkana confirmed the arrest of the notorious gang leader and stated that they are compiling all his exploits in preparation to charge him to court.