THERE are quite a lot of things deserving prime attention from commentators on public affairs like me, ranging from the trolling of Nigerians and their leaders by the internet community in Kenya on the heels of the unrest in that country. Yesterday, the Supreme Court delivered a ruling on the suit filed by the Federal Government against the state governments on the issue of local government funds. We all know by now that the Supreme Court ruled in favour of local governments by ordering that their allocations be paid to them directly. By so ruling, the Supreme Court technically voided the constitutional provision for a joint state/local government account (See Chapter 6, Section 162 (6) of the 1999 Constitution, As Amended).

While all these issues and more unmentioned are important, the one I think is most deserving of my attention today is the achievement of the Police in Lagos State last week, news of which did not trend as heavily as it deserves. Normally, the Police is in the news mostly for the wrong reasons, like accidental discharge, checkpoint extortion, and the like. But the one for which I believe they deserve commendation was a scenario which played out like a Hollywood movie, clinically executed by detectives from Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, who were reportedly drilled and selected by the Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade.

To recap, some kidnappers who had been operating without let or hindrance for long were said to have kidnapped a rich businessman during the day sometime last week. They kept their victim in a secluded hotel where cars are repaired and sold in the Ladipo area of Lagos, a well-known spare parts market, while they waited for darker hours to move him to their hideout. The Police, already on their trail, got wind of their movement into the hotel and despatched operatives in mufti who continued to gather intelligence about them which they were relaying real-time to the strike team which was primed and ready. 

According to sources, one of the kidnappers started the gun battle that eventually consumed them. The felon, seeing a decoy placed by the detectives, started firing indiscriminately, not knowing that the whole area had been cordoned off by heavily armed policemen. The first shots they fired, according to sources, made detectives identify them with their vehicles, and a gun battle that lasted for over three hours ensued.

At the end of the encounter, nine of the kidnappers were neutralised (decode that) while two escaped into the crowd. The Policemen withheld fire to avoid hitting unintended targets.

Recovered from them were four AK-47 rifles, four locally-made semi-automatic pistols, nine AK-47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, one POS machine and a loudspeaker. Two of their operational vehicles, a black Toyota 4Runner and a blue Lexus RX350, were also recovered. At the end, around 10pm, the large crowd keenly watching the shootout that ensued between the armed kidnappers and the police started clapping, obviously impressed with the outcome — nine casualties (kidnappers), and no collateral.

With this, my faith in the abilities and capabilities of the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force has been reinforced greatly. It is a common saying here that when the Police want to work, they do so, and they do the work very well. The Ladipo gun battle reaffirms this. I want to commend the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, and the Lagos State Commission of Police, Adegoke Fayoade. I believe the Police can do more of this. Indeed, the kidnap gangs terrorising various parts of the country have to be dealt with clinically the way the Ladipo gang was dealt with. It does not augur well for all of us to live in perpetual fear. I am from Ogun State, and kidnappers have laid siege to sections of the Sagamu-Benin Expressway, with many fellow Nigerians kidnapped and herded into the bush in the last two weeks. I was very worried as my loved ones made to travel to Ijebu-Ode during the last Eid-el-Kabir, but they travelled home and back without incident.

I am informed that IGP Kayode Egbetokun has directed commencement of an intensive training programme for more than 200 Special Intervention Squad, SIS, operatives. The SIS acronym reminds me of the British SIS, the Secret Intelligence Service. At the end of their training, I pray they be deployed to neutralise kidnap gangs that have mushroomed nationwide, visiting terror on fellow citizens.

To fellow Nigerians, I am of the opinion that we should begin to take more than a cursory interest in how paupers of yesterday suddenly emerge millionaires today. The street language is “that guy don hammer,” or “my friend don blow.” Hammer what? Blow what? Many of us are clearly living Jekyll-and-Hyde lives. I am informed that one of the neutralised kidnappers was a movie producer, well-known in Nollywood. We now have seen that he was a movie producer to the rest of us, while his inner circle knew him as a kidnapper. Many emergent men of money may be kidnappers. EFCC, Special

 Fraud Unit, and and other security and intelligence agencies may have to begin probing sources of peoples’ wealth. It may help us unmask criminals with Jekyll-and-Hyde personalities, masquerading as teachers, doctors, or some other honest occupation. I salute the Police. More bullets in your rifles!  TGIF.