Gun-wielding militants invaded
Ishawo area of Ikorodu, Lagos
State, and killed an Army captain,
who led the Joint Task Force on
Anti-Militancy, and four
policemen. The captain is
identified as Muhammad. The
incident occurred at Yewa-
Olaloko area of Ishawo.
Doctors are battling to save the
life of the survivor of the gory
attack, a Divisional Police Officer
(DPO). The commander of the
militants and two of his
members were also killed in the
gun duel that ensued between
security agents and the
hoodlums.
In all, 12 people were said to
have been killed in the attack.
Members of the Joint Task Force
on Anti-Militancy in Lagos and
Ogun states, called Operation
Awatse, were said to have been
ambushed on their way to
Olaloko area in the early hours of
yesterday, while on a mission to
rescue eight kidnapped victims.
The militants also set the security
agents’ operational Hilux van on
fire. A source said: “The soldiers,
policemen and operatives of
Rapid Response Squad (RRS)
went to the area in an attempt to
rescue some abducted victims.
The militants opened fire on
them. The DPO was critically
wounded. It’s doubtful if he will
survive.”
A resident of the area, who
identified himself simply as
Gbemisola, said eight residents
were abducted, after which the
community alerted the police.
Police were said to have moved
immediately, with soldiers, but
ran into an ambush.
The resident recounted: “The
exchange of gun battle woke us
up about midnight which lasted
till 3a.m. Members of the Joint
Task Force, deployed in the
creeks of Lagos and Ogun states,
were on their way to rescue the
victims when they were
ambushed by the kidnappers,
who opened fire on them, killing
four policemen and two soldiers
instantly.
“In the exchange of gun battle
which ensued, the commander
of the militants was killed, while
two of his men were also
gunned down by the police. The
death of their commander
infuriated the militants, making
them to kill three of their
captives.
They fled with five other victims.”
Our correspondent, who was at
the community yesterday, was
told that the militants cum
kidnappers have invaded Ishawo
on Friday and attempted to
abduct three landlords, but one
of the victims escaped. A witness
gave the name of the landlord,
who escaped as Osaze, a car
dealer.
But, according to the witness, the
kidnappers came for Osaze
about midnight on Saturday.
“After breaking into Osaze’s
house, the gunmen ordered him
into his vehicle. They poured
petrol on the vehicle and set the
man ablaze. It was the fire that
attracted the task force. “The
task force engaged the militants
in a shootout. The task force
called for reinforcement from
Owutu Police Division,” the
witness added. According to the
source, when the policemen
arrived, they chased the militants
into the creeks. “Unknown to
them, the militants did not flee.
They laid an ambush which the
security agents ran into,” the
witness added. Some of the
residents said they could not
come out of their houses
because of the fear of the
gunmen. “We locked ourselves
up in our houses until the Lagos
State Police Commissioner, Fatai
Owoseni, came to address us
and gave us assurance that more
policemen would be deployed in
this community. He said we
should not entertain fear. “But in
the next few minutes everybody
will go into his house because
we don’t know what will happen
next.
We cannot move freely until there
is improved security,” a resident
said. Another resident said that
militants, who were dispersed
after the bombardment of the
creeks, were gradually
regrouping and becoming
formidable. “The militants have
come back and are kidnapping
every day.
Government should be more
proactive on this development.
We don’t wish for death of
policemen and soldiers in this
manner. What we are asking is
that police should set up a
command at that creek. They
should treat it like what they
have done in Sambisa forest in
the North-East. A serious military
intervention is needed here,” the
resident added.
Reacting to the incident,Owoseni
said that about 1a.m. yesterday,
the police received a distress call
that a group of militants/
kidnappers entered Owutu-
Isawo in Ikorodu through the
thick swampy forest surrounding
the area.
He said: “The militants/
kidnappers kidnapped some
residents. In response, the police
and the Army immediately
mobilised personnel to the area,
where the victims were rescued.
Sadly, however, five out of the
gallant, brave and patriotic
officers lost their lives during the
rescue operation. One of them is
a Nigerian Army captain while
the remaining four are
policemen. One of the residents
in the area also died. We pray
that the God Almighty reward
their loyalty to the nation with
paradise and peaceful rest. We
also pray that God gives their
respective families the courage
to bear the loss.”
The remains of the security
agents and resident have been
evacuated to the mortuary. The
Acting Deputy Director Army
Public Relations (ADDAPR), Lt. Col.
Olaolu Daodu, said that the
combined team was able to foil
the kidnap attempt and rescued
all the abducted victims.
“Nine of the victims including an
infant of about two-year-old
were rescued from the criminals.
However, on their way back, they
were ambushed by a suspected
criminal gang. During the
clearance of the ambush,
unfortunately four policemen lost
their lives while the army officer
who led the operation sustained
gunshot wounds and die on the
way to the hospital.
“Similarly, four of the rescued
kidnapped victims including the
infant sustained injuries during
the encounter. They have all been
evacuated to a hospital and are
responding to treatment,” Daodu
said.The army spokesman said a
combined team of the Police and
Military was in hot pursuit of the
suspected kidnappers who fled
the scene carrying the dead
bodies of their colleagues and
the wounded. Meanwhile, Lagos
State government yesterday
commiserated with families of
the four policemen and Army
captain.
In a statement, the state
Commissioner for Information
and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde,
described the incident as
unfortunate, but insisted that it
would only strengthen
government’s resolve to remove
crime and criminalities from the
state.
Ayorinde said Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode was deeply
touched by the incident and
condoled with the families of the
slain officers. He said: “The
governor, however, assures the
police and general public of his
support and commitment to rid
the state of every form of
militancy, kidnapping, and illegal
waterfront shanties that harbour
criminals.”
The commissioner added that
the unfortunate incident in
Ishawo had further reinforced
government’s resolve to go after
criminal elements and their
collaborators using coastal areas
and illegal waterfront settlements
as havens or escape routes to
perpetrate evil and criminal
activities.
Ayorinde added that every
perpetrator directly or remotely
linked to the Ishawo dastardly
act would be brought to justice
in the shortest possible time. He
said: “We wish to solicit the
understanding and support of
the public on the need to rid our
waterways of illegal shanties that
are not only an eyesore to our
collective decency, but have
become a fertile ground for
breeding illicit and illegal
activities that constitute danger
to the security and wellbeing of
the larger public.”

Source:https://newtelegraphonline.com/news/militants-attack-lagos-kill-army-captain-policemen/

Cc:obinoscopy, lalasticlala, mynd44, ishilove

This is serious

RIP Gallant Soldiers and Policemen

May the hand of Mighty God be with the bereaved ..the so called militants I prayed they would not escape justice.. What a colossal loses?

RIP to the slain officers.

These people sacrifice their lives and comforts for our peace but unfortunately, what they get from some stupid and headless nonentities in the society are rains of insults.

Some idiots will even go as far as challenging their authorities right in their places of assignments and when they get treated accordingly, they quickly run to social media uploading the pictures of their ugly faces and bodies in the name of seeking justice.

Very unfortunate.

May God Almighty grant the families of the departed officers in this and all other similar terrorist encounters in the NE the fortitude to bear the irreversible loss of their loved ones.