The Lagos State Police Command has arrested Wasiu Akinwande, alias Olori Eso, a 44-year-old man described as the most notorious and wanted assassin in Lagos in recent years.
Akinwande was apprehended in his hideout in the Agbado area of Ogun State during a coordinated tactical operation codenamed “Silence, Speed and Surprise” executed by the Command’s Tactical Squad.
According to a statement issued Friday by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the suspect had long evaded arrest and was infamous for leading violent operations across Mushin and nearby communities.
“Akinwande, the most wanted and vicious hired killer in recent Lagos history, has finally been captured. Alongside his arrest, police recovered a cache of weapons and incriminating items,” the statement read.
The suspect is believed to have led multiple deadly gangs responsible for a string of crimes over the past decade, including murder, armed robbery, cult-related killings, and kidnappings.
Recovered from his residence were; Two (2) AK-47 rifles, One (1) K2 assault rifle, One (1) Red Ryder rifle, Three (3) pump action shotguns, Two (2) locally made single-barrel pistols, Five (5) magazines, Fifty-seven (57) live cartridges, Seventy (70) rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, Twenty-seven (27) 9mm rounds, One (1) spent 5.56mm round, One (1) dagger, Three (3) walkie-talkies and Nine (9) international passports belonging to various individuals.
Hundeyin confirmed that Akinwande confessed to using the weapons in his operations alongside his gang.
The police said his criminal acts have caused immense trauma to victims’ families and communities, leaving behind a legacy of horror and pain.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh, has directed the Deputy Commissioner at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to lead a widened investigation to apprehend all accomplices linked to the suspect’s criminal network.
“Four families have already come forward, identifying Akinwande as the perpetrator of the murders of their loved ones,” Hundeyin added.
Akinwande remains in custody under heavy security and, according to the police, will face prosecution for the full range of his crimes.
