Lagos: Police kill two suspected armed robbers in gun duel, arrest gang member

In Lagos, police engaged in a gun battle with suspected armed robbers, resulting in the death of two gang members and the arrest of a third. The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, announced the incident on Wednesday during a press briefing. According to Fatai, the operation was initiated after receiving intelligence about a suspected armed robbery gang operating in the state.

At approximately 10:00 PM on October 4th, 2026, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command, acting on the intelligence, located the suspects at their hideout on Gasikia Road, Ijora-Badia. Upon sighting the police, the suspects opened fire, leading to a gun duel. Two gang members were killed during the exchange, while a fourth suspect, identified as Patrick Azure, was apprehended.

The command recovered two Beretta pistols and four rounds of live 9mm ammunition from the scene. Preliminary investigations revealed that the gang was preparing to carry out an operation when they were interrupted by the police. The arrested suspect, Patrick Azure, claimed he was from Benin and accused two gang members, Azeez and ID, of coming to retrieve him during the operation.

He also stated that the gang was carrying out a robbery when they were intercepted by the police and that he had participated in three previous operations, receiving payments ranging from N50,000 to N250,000 each time.