Wale JAGUN
It was the end of the road for one of the most wanted notorious kidnap kingpin in Lagos, Mufutau Timileyin Sulaimon, popularly known and called ‘Pencil’.
Pencil was shot dead in gun battle with the police on Sunday at Odogunyan in Ikorodu area of Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria.
According to the Police, the notorious kidnapper and his gang were responsible for the kidnap and murder of two Bureau de Change operators in Ikorodu on 14 March, 2019.
He was alleged to have led his deadly gang in the kidnap and murder of two bureau de change operators in Ikorodu after collecting a ransom of N1.6m and buried the bureau de change operator and two other victims in a septic tank.
The police had declared Pencil wanted for multiple murder and kidnappings.
A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bala Elkana on Monday said on Sunday, at about 9.10pm, Pencil was killed in a gun battle with the police.
“This brings to an end his reign of terror. His gang is responsible for mysterious disappearance of people in Ikorodu over a period of time whom they kidnapped, demanded for ransom, murdered and dumped them in septic tank. They are serial killers, rapists and cultists.
“Three members of his gang were earlier arrested by SARS operatives and they led the operatives to their den in Ikorodu where corpses of the two Bureau de Change operators and two other victims were recovered. A sustained monitoring of the fugitive ring leader finally yielded positive results as the team eventually traced him to his hideout at Odogunya, Ikorodu,” he said.
The image maker of the Lagos Police added that “on sighting the team led by DSP Rotimi Ogunmuyiwa, the said Mufutau Timileyin Sulaimon popularly known as Pencil engaged the team in a gun battle. Two SARS operatives namely Sgt Omola Adedeji and Sgt Oluwadare Gbenga sustained various degree of injuries, while pencil sustained bullet wound on the two legs and were all taken to hospital.
“While the said Pencil was confirmed dead on arrival, the two injured operatives were taken to intensive care Unit and are responding to treatment. One gun with live ammunition and expanded ammunition were recovered.”
