Matilda Omonaiye/

Don’t dare me.

That appears to be the message sent to criminals today, as the new commissioner of police in Lagos, Hakeem Odumosu, rescued a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who was kidnapped in the state on Friday.

The police told Chief Detective magazine that the gang of kidnappers was smashed in an operation led by Odumosu early today.

The corps member, Onyiwara Chinwe Faith, was kidnapped in Epe area of Lagos last Friday. The kidnap was the first since Odumosu resumed as commissioner of police in the state.

According to the police, one of the suspects received a bloody nose, after a shootout today with officers led by Odumosu inside a forest.

The state police spokesman, DSP Bala Elkana, said that Odumosu led the operation and saved the victim who was serving at ABC Farm, Ilamija Nla Village when she was kidnapped.

Elkana told the Chief Detective magazine: “The Corp member was rescued at about 2.20 am today in a swamp forest around Ilamija Nla in Epe after a gun battle. The kidnappers’ ring leader Moses Ofeye, 31 years old from Ondo State, of Ijaw origin, was arrested with gun wounds. The victim was taken to hospital for medical attention due to the shock and trauma she experienced and long-distance trek. But she is in stable condition. She has just been handed over to the Lagos State Coordinator of the NYSC and her family by the Commissioner of Police.

“Onyiwara Chinwe Faith was abducted on 29/11/2019 while on her way to attend CDS meeting at Ilamija, Epe. The abductors demanded the ransom of N50million but later reduced to N400, 000 from the Farm Manager to be dropped at Ijebu Ososa area. But no ransom was paid.

“The Lagos State Coordinator of the NYSC and family of the rescued Corp member were filled with gratitude to the Commissioner of Police for rescuing their daughter alive.”