Kidnapping: Traders in Trade Fair, Alaba markets flee for safety

The activities of a gang of kidnappers terrorizing businessmen, mainly importers and big traders at the popular Trade Fair Complex and Alaba International Market on the  Lagos Badagry Expressway, in recent time, have forced several rich men residing at the highbrow areas of  Festac Town and Amuwo Odofin Estate to move out of the area.

 Investigation revealed that most of the rich men who were kidnapped by the dreaded gang led by one Evans and had to pay ransom within the range of $1million before they were released  have relocated to other parts of Lagos State with adequate security.

It was learned that most of these people now reside in highbrow areas like Ikoyi, Lekki and Ajah areas of the State. They were also said to have employed the services of  private security agencies within and outside the country to provide them with daily security. A source whose boss was kidnapped by the gang in 2015, and a ransom of $1million was paid before his release disclosed to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity, that his boss and his family and some of his rich friends relocated out of Festac and Amuwo Odofin areas after the kidnap. He stated that his boss was held by the kidnappers for one month and all entries to the kidnappers to free his boss with the amount his family could afford  fell on deaf ears. The source added that, while the kidnappers held his boss, his family members approached the police at State and Federal levels  and gave them all the  information that could aid them in tracking down the suspects but nothing happened.

According to the source, “my boss no longer comes to his office in Alaba market as he used to, because he does not know where the informant who gave him out came from. He comes in with tight security and goes out same way. My boss now lives in Lekki with his family and some of his friends who escaped being kidnapped are also residing in that same area.