The Tactical Squad operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have successfully tracked down and apprehended a suspected hired assassin and the alleged leader of a deadly gang and cult syndicate that has long terrorised Mushin and surrounding areas—Wasiu Akinwande, also known as “Olori Eso.”
In a statement released by the command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, Akinwande was described as “the most wanted suspect in the history of Lagos in recent times.”
“The arrest of the 44-year-old suspect marks a huge success in the ongoing fight against violent crimes that are threats to the security and safety of residents in Mushin and some other parts of Lagos State.”
According to Hundeyin, Akinwande was arrested in his hideout in the Agbado area of Ogun State after multiple failed attempts by the Police Tactical Squad. From 2009 until 2024, he and his gang were allegedly responsible for a wave of violence including armed robbery, cold-blooded murders, kidnappings, and cult-related killings that left Mushin residents gripped with fear.
“Akinwande’s criminal activities have left trauma, horror, agony and pain in the families of victims of his numerous high-profile crimes under investigation by the Lagos State Police Command. Despite his escapes from one state of the country to another over the years, the Lagos State Police Command remained resolute in its pursuit of Justice. The operatives of the Command raided his house in Mushin, and recovered a cache of weapons and incriminating items he freely admitted he was using for his killing operations with his gang.”
Items recovered from his Mushin residence include:
* Two (2) AK-47 rifles
* One (1) K2 assault rifle
* One (1) Red Ryder rifle
* Three (3) pump-action rifles
* Two (2) locally made single-barrel pistols
* Five (5) magazines
* Fifty-seven (57) live cartridges
* Seventy (70) 5.56mm live rounds
* Twenty-seven (27) 9mm rounds
* One (1) expended 5.56mm round
* One (1) dagger
* Three (3) walkie-talkies
* Nine (9) international passports belonging to various individuals
The Deputy Commissioner of Police at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) has been tasked with leading a team of elite detectives to widen the investigation and apprehend other suspects associated with Akinwande. Already, four families have identified him as the man responsible for the deaths of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has reiterated the Command’s commitment to public safety and assured Lagosians that justice will be served.