Face of kidnap leader killed alongside Nollywood producer/kidnapper during Ladipo kidnap attempt revealed

Detectives of the Lagos State Police Special Unit have identified another key member of the notorious gang of billionaire kidnappers who were killed during a raid on Ladipo Market in Mushin, Lagos State last month.

Recall that in July, nine kidnappers were killed and two others escaped with gunshot wounds during a foiled kidnap attempt at Ladipo market.

Earlier, only one of the kidnappers was identified. Prince Henry Odenigbo was, until his death, a Nollywood actor/producer who worked with many big names in the industry and regularly credited God for his success in his Instagram posts.

Henry Ode

It was also reported that four of the victims of the failed kidnapping attempt were colleagues from the film industry.

Now another murdered kidnapper has been identified as a man known as Uzoamaka, his identity revealed by a CCTV image of the gang at work.

Uzoamaka

Recent investigations led by CSP Kehinde Oni unearthed as many as 42 files relating to the gang’s activities spread across various police stations in Lagos.

“It was a shocking discovery,” CSP Oni noted. “The sheer volume of evidence against the gang underscores the scale of their criminal activities.”

Before their raid on the Ladipo market, the gang had kidnapped a wealthy supermarket owner from Ago Okota and extorted N68 million as ransom.

CCTV footage from the supermarket showed an informant, now identified as Uzoamaka, entering the store to canvass the area.

“Our investigation has revealed that Uzoamaka played a crucial role in this operation,” a police source said. “He was seen on the footage ensuring the coast was clear before the gang entered.”

According to police, Uzoamaka was known in criminal circles for his exceptional shooting skills and specialized training in weapons handling.

“He was known as one of the sharpest marksmen in the criminal world,” said another police official. “His skills were highly regarded but we had no idea that he was involved in the Lagos kidnappings until now.”

Police revealed that Uzoamaka fired the first shot during the operation at Ladipo market when a decoy car blocked the gang’s path.

“The shot he fired was meant to intimidate and eliminate anyone who was obstructing their escape,” said CSP Oni. “It hit the headrest of the car but narrowly missed our officer.”

Detectives said they were continuing their efforts to identify all victims involved in the Ladipo raid, but families of the deceased were reluctant to come forward.

“We are working tirelessly to expose the full extent of the gang’s activities,” a police insider said.

“It is clear that many have hidden information, but we are confident that further investigation will bring everything to light and reveal the full truth.”

Watch a video of the CCTV footage below which allegedly shows Uzoamaka.

Video: Lagos Billionaire Kidnappers: Details of Latest Operation Before Ladipo Market Raid photo.twitter.com/LTTeG2ooeu

— Vanguard Newspapers (@vanguardngrnews) August 10, 2024