Two suspected armed robbers were reportedly killed during a gun duel with the police in Lagos, while another member of the gang was arrested.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists on the recent operational activities of the command.
Fatai said the two suspects were neutralised during a gun battle with operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit in the early hours of Monday.
According to the commissioner, the operation followed actionable intelligence on the activities of a suspected armed robbery gang operating in the state.
“On 4/10/2026 at about 2200hrs, operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, acting on actionable intelligence concerning the activities of a suspected armed robbery gang, traced the suspects to their hideout along Gasikia Road, Ijora-Badia,” Fatai said.
He added that the suspects opened fire after sighting the police operatives, resulting in a gun duel during which two members of the gang were neutralised.
“Upon sighting the police operatives, the suspects allegedly engaged the officers in a gun duel, during which two of the suspects were neutralised, one escaped, while another, identified as Patrick Azure ‘m’, aged 26 years, was arrested,” he said.
The operation, according to the CP, resulted in the recovery of two Beretta pistols and four rounds of live 9mm ammunition.
Fatai said preliminary investigation showed that the gang was allegedly preparing to carry out a robbery operation when the police intervened.
“Preliminary investigation indicates that the gang was preparing for an operation before the intervention of the police,” he said.
He added that the command was intensifying efforts to arrest the fleeing suspect and recover more weapons allegedly used by the gang.
“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect as well as recover additional operational weapons,” the commissioner said.
Speaking with journalists, the arrested suspect identified himself as Patrick Azure, 26, from the Republic of Benin.
“My name is Patrick Azure. I am 26 years old, and I am from the Republic of Benin,” he said.
Patrick alleged that two members of the gang, identified as Azeez and ID, who were killed during the encounter with the police, had come to pick him up from his home on the day of the operation.
“On the day of the arrest, Azeez and ID, who were killed in the fight with the police, came to pick me up at home,” he said.
The suspect admitted that the gang was on its way to carry out a robbery when the police intercepted them.
“We were going for an operation when the policemen came and killed two of our members,” he said.
Patrick also claimed that he had accompanied the gang on three previous operations and was paid between N50,000 and N250,000.
“This is the third time that I am following them on an operation. They gave me between N50,000 and N250,000,” he said.
Lagos: Police kill two suspected armed robbers in gun duel, arrest gang member