Burglary: RRS Nabs 15, Recovers Computers

The operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos Police Command have arrested 15 suspects over the stealing of 7 sets of computer and its accessories at a Shomolu based public school just as they recovered 4 mini-laptops, a Laser Jet scanner, a desktop and a printer belonging to the school.

The suspects were arrested on Wednesday morning when RRS Intelligence Team stumbled on a lead that one of the suspects was lurking in a gaming shop at 29, Awoseni Streets, Shomolu.

On interrogation, the suspect, who turned out to be a buyer of one of the stolen mini-laptops specifically designed for secondary school pupils, led to the arrest of the principal suspect and 13 others.

The lead suspect, Yinka Adesola, 19, an athlete, disclosed that one Julius Akinyele, 20 (still at large), a phone repairer, who he accommodated, brought seven mini laptops, 1 scanner, 1 desktop, a CPU and a LaserJet printer belonging to a popular public school for keep in his apartment.

Explaining how he got the computers, he stated “I knew he was a wayward guy. I accommodated him because his relatives whom he was staying with were relocating from Shomolu. I offered to assist him since I had an apartment to myself.... He was my junior in secondary school. He was one of my fans while I was competing for the school and Local Governments in the state.... Immediately he joined me, a lot of things started missing in the compound. Neighbours were losing their phones. Later, we discovered that he was the one stealing all the phones. My parents directed me that I tell him to move out and I did."

Adesola also stated that, "But, before this time, he had brought 7 mini-computers, 1 scanner, 1 desktop, a Laser Jet printer for keep in my room. Although, I saw the name of the school on those items, since he was always visiting that school, I didn’t know they were stolen items.... After a long while I didn’t see him, I attempted to sell all these items. Some I have sold, and others like desktop, printer and four mini-laptops, I have not sold. I gave them out to friends and people that I know can help me sell them.”

Arrested along with the suspect were Lukman Sokoya, 34; Wasiu Adejare, 30; Ismaila Adebowale, 42; Ahmed Olaleye, 17 and Ramon Mukaila.

According to investigators, only six out of the 15 suspects arrested were directly connected to the burgled school and stolen computers as well as its accessories. Four of the suspects were released to their relatives, while the remaining five suspects were held for their link to cult activities in Shomolu.

The suspects, Kazeem Adenuga, 24; Owolabi Yusuph, 35; Wasiu Shodipe, 27; Samson Kareem, 34 and Sheriff Badru, 22, were arrested when investigators discovered that  they were involved in ceaseless violence in Awoseni Street on Tuesday night. The eleven suspects have all been transferred to SCID for further investigations.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, stated that the Command was leaving no stone unturned towards reducing crime in the state and make it safe for investment.

CP Fatai Owoseni Shares Knowledge At Capacity Enhancement Training For RRS

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, CP Fatai Owoseni, lectures his men on performing more to meet today's security challenges. 

The five days training programme was organised by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF). Titled: Enhancing the Performance of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS). The five days capacity training that ends today focus on professional etiquette and image branding.

Also sharing lessons at the training is DIG Isreal Ajao (Rtd.) and the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Dr. Rasak Balogun.

RRS Keeps Close Watch On Protesters

A protest today at the Lagos State Government House. RRS officers keep watch on protesters while maintaining law and order.

Robbery: RRS Nabs Four

A vulcanizer arrested along with three other suspected robbers by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command, has disclosed that he ventured into robbery to raise money for food and graduation ceremony.

The vulcanizer, Oluwatimileyin Okunnade, 21, from Ogbomosho, Osun State, was arrested yesterday around 8:00 p.m. in traffic by the police after snatching an Infinnix Hot Note from a lady driving a white Sienna space bus.

According to him, “I went to Ojodu-Berger bus stop early in the morning to look for work. I was there till evening, yet there was no work. I decided to trek home…. I got to Otedola Bridge, there was traffic and I realised that I had not eaten anything since morning…. The thought of going to bed without food was scary to me, so I saw a lady holding an Infinnix Hot Note and I snatched it from her…. She was so scared, she drove off but I was surprised later when RRS men chased and apprehended me few minutes later.”

Insisting that he was not a robber but a vulcanizer, Okunnade said: “What I was looking for was money to do my freedom ceremony…. I have spent eight years with my boss. And, he has told me openly to go and source for money for my graduation…. That was why I was looking for daily job to engage myself…. I ran away from Ogbomoso to Lagos to eke out a better life for myself…. I realised that bus conducting and joining bad gangs won’t yield me anything to give my family a befitting life, so I enrolled myself as an apprentice  vulcanizer, and I was doing well until my boss sent me away because of my freedom money.

“I had earlier got a daily job beside my boss with a fellow vulcanizer, my boss grew apprehensive that I was going to steal his customers, so he told them to send me away,” he added.

The arrest of Okunnade yesterday made the total number of suspects apprehended yesterday over robbery offence in Otedola Bridge area to four.

The operatives had around mid-day arrested a three-man gang comprising: Bola Adenuga, 39; Kehinde Oladipupo, 32 and Afiz Sulaiman, 27, for forcefully stealing an hydraulic jack and vehicle part from a lorry driver for failing to give them money.

Adenuga, the leader of the gang, disclosed to investigators that they assisted “the truck driver by assisting him to repair his broken down vehicle but when his truck started working, he declined to give us money, so we took his hydraulic jack and lorry bumper…. When he has money he can come and collect it. We have told him where he can find us. We are bricklayers”.

Speaking on the robbery, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, stated “If you think you can come to Lagos to perpetuate crime and get away with it, you better wake up…. The Command is alive to its responsibilities. No criminal would go scot free in Lagos. We would track and get you.”

RRS Nabs 2 Robbers, Recovers Gun, Loots

The operatives of Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two armed robbers in two separate incidences in Ikotun and Olodi-Apapa, just as it recovered gun, jewellery, laptop and 18 mobiles phones from the robbers.

The robbers: Bashir Wasiu, 22, from Oyo State and Tunde Adedeji, 23, from Abeokuta, Ogun State were arrested in Olodi-Apapa around 6:35 a.m. on Tuesday, 19 July, 2016, and Ikotun on Monday, 18, July, 2016 around 4:33 a.m. respectively.

Bashir had on early Tuesday morning in company of his two other members, waylaid Viho Segun at his residence’s car park, snatching his documents, phones and N15,000 from him at gun point before leading him to his flat intending to collect more valuables from his family.

At the Viho’s flat, Bashir threatened to kill him in the presence of his children and wife if they fail to produce more valuables. When the wife refused to surrender what they wanted, Bashir smashed Viho’s head with gun butt and beat the wife to a pulp.

Explaining what happened, Viho stated, “When he started beating my wife, I summoned courage to engage him. As soon as we started fighting, his colleague took to his heels. He too tried to run but I held him and I called out to neighbours, seized his gun and just in the nick of time, RRS officers on patrol arrived and they arrested him.”

According to the suspect, “We have been monitoring Viho. We know he goes to work early in his car and we decided to ambush him…. We were three, Michael and I followed him into his flat to collect more money while Joseph was monitoring the situation outside…. The three of us met at a point near boundary in Ajegunle. That is where we plan and set out for our operations. We operate early in the morning and late evening.”

For Tunde Adedeji, his 10-member robbery team invaded Muslim and Omotayo Streets where they robbed all the occupants of the three buildings they targeted. Two of the three buildings are in Muslim Street while the third building is in Omotayo Street.

Over 25 robbery victims residing in the three buildings narrated their ordeals in the hands of the 10-man robbery gang when they besieged RRS Headquarters in Alausa after reports filtered to them that RRS officials arrested one of the robbery suspects. Most of the robbery victims sustained several matchete cuts in the head and body.

The robbery victims, who came to Alausa in three fully loaded commercial buses were invited one after the other to identify the suspect and also identify their belongings from the 18 mobile phones, trinkets and assorted jewellery, recovered from the back-pack of the suspect.

Explaining how they planned and carried out the robbery operation, Adedeji said “at about 12:00 midnight on this fateful day, Sadiq, Sule, Ijoba, myself and six others whose names I don’t know met and discussed about the robbery.... I was invited into the operation by Sadiq. We met at Ikotun Egbe. We discussed the plan and at around 2:00 a.m., we converged at Ikotun Roundabout. The arms we used for the operation were cutlasses, wood and sticks. None of had a gun. We used legs to break doors and took phones, jewellery, laptops from our victims.... all the recovered items in my hand were from the victims. Sule and I were coming from the operation around 4:00 a.m. when a local security man intercepted us. He collected Sule’s bag. We ran away just as he was opening the bag. But, I was later arrested by RRS officials of patrol after seeing the content of my bag.... This is my second operation with the team. In June, we also robbed another house in Ikotun. We also took from them phones and money.... We sell all what we take to one guy called Tablet. Sule normally call him on phone after the operation and we meet him at Olugbede in Egbeda area.” 

 

According to one of the victim of the Ikotun  robbery who live in Muslim Street, Isiaka Alarape, "the robbers entered my house around 2:30 a.m. they were more than 10 but 5 of them entered my room.... They broke my door completely, smarched glass on my head and hit me with gun. They matcheted my wife and my neighbour seriously that they have to be rushed to the hospital.

Similarly, another victim who live in Omotayo Street, Friday Osigbe, said "they took N110,000:00 from me before taking my phone."

While Bashir Wasiu was transferred to SARS office in Ikeja, Adedeji was transferred to Ikotun Police Station along with the recovered items for further investigation.

Speaking on the robbery, the Police PPRO, SP Dolapo Badmos confirmed the arrest, adding that the police is not resting on its oars. She stressed that the Command would continue to work round the clock to reduce crime in the state.

Photo of Bashir Wasiu, one of the suspect receiving treatment from RRS Medics.

Photos of some of their victims.

RRS Nabs 22 Suspected Kid-Robbers In Agege

The operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command have arrested 22 teenagers for robbery, stealing and cultism.

The 22 teenagers, amongst whom are four female, were arrested for allegedly involved in separate incidences of robbery, stealing and cultism around Agege and its environs.

The two leaders of the first gang, which consist of eight members, Babatunde, 15 and Tayo, 15, were arrested on last Thursday, at about 11:30 p.m. in Mulero, Agege for assaulting and robbing one Aladegbo Abidemi with an axe, and snatching her Blackberry Z10.

The suspects were reported to have given out other members of the gang the following day. Other members of the gang arrested included: Matthew, 18; Sakiru, 16; Ganiyu,13; Reliwan, 15; Ibrahim, 15 and Kudus, 15.

According to their victim, Aladegbo Abidemi, female, 26, “I was coming from work. I decided to pass through Mulero to link the closest bus stop around 10:00 p.m. I sensed my phone ringing and I picked it. Just few seconds while on the call, I noticed some young boys about 12 swarming like bees towards me.

I ran but I fell down. They rough handled me, threatened me with an axe and took my phone. They retreated and abandoned me inside the gutter. A couple of minutes after standing up, I saw RRS patrol vehicle. I reported the incident and showed them the direction they went. They gave them hot chase, and arrested them with my phone”.

The second gang, consisting of 10 male and four females were picked-up at Abattoir on Monday at about 02:35 am, after three of them had earlier been arrested in Computer Village, Ikeja, for stealing mobile phones.

It was gathered that the trio, Sulaimon, 13; Godwin, 19 and Sunkanmi, 15, entered a phone stall and pretended they wanted to buy a phone. They walked out again after inspecting the phone only for the stall owner to realise that two phones were missing. They were however caught on their way going.

It was learnt that during interrogation at the RRS’ headquarters, three of them owned up to be members of Eiye Confraternity.

The names of other gang members arrested included: Taiwo, 17; Rotimi, 17; Lateef, 19; Tunde, 17; Bolawatife, 15; kayode, 15; Olamide ,15.

Other members of the gang who are female included: Olamide, 19; Agnes, 14; Ayo, 15 and Ope, 16.

All the suspects have been transferred to the State Police Command, Ikeja, for further investigations.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest of the teenagers. She stated that the Commissioner of Police summoned the parents of the children and he has ordered that the teenagers be sent for rehabilitated without delay.

She added that the arrest of the suspects was an eye-opener to the challenges of crime fighting and breakdown of family values. 

RRS Apprehends Suspected Armed Robber

Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, over the weekend arrested the suspected member of an Eight-man robbery gang, Abdullahi Olanrewaju, 30, during their operations at Abeje and Onibeju Streets, off Capitol Road in Agege Local Government area of the state.

The operatives, who were led to the scene of the robbery by Inspector Anthony Inege, noted that one of the victims, who managed to escape through the window, alerted them that armed men were operating in their building.

The officers followed the complainant to the robbery scene where they met men of underworld numbering about eight in an attempt to enter another building on the street.

It was gathered that as the robbers sighted the police, they opened fire at them. The swift response from the RRS operatives, who were on patrol routine in the area, led to the arrest one of them while others made away with two pump action guns, a sum of N549,500 and other valuables.

The suspect, who hails from Ita-Amoju in Kwara State, confessed that he was lured into the robbery with a promise by his gang members that they would buy a commercial bus for him after the operation.

“When I arrived Lagos, I started driving a commercial bus plying Agege to Oshodi before I joined the robbery gang. But all of a sudden, the bus developed faults, and the owner had to sell the vehicle off. Since then, things have been very difficult for me.... I met other gang members at a beer parlour in Akerele-Wahabi area in Agege. I told them I was a bus driver and they promised to buy a new bus for me.

When they refused to buy the vehicle for me, they promised again that they would introduce me to one business that can make me become rich. I never knew it was armed robbery they wanted to introduce to me to... at midnight when we went for robbery, I along with other seven gang members met at Markaz Road. We operated from one building to the other. Although, I didn’t follow them inside, but I was placed on standby outside. My job was to keep all the looted items including money."

The suspect stated that they went to the operation with four pump action guns and Jack knives in case of any security operatives intercept them.

“We went for that operation with bullet loaded four pump action guns. We had planned our movements for that night. We had intention to rob all the houses on the two streets, but luck ran out on us as we were able to visit only five buildings before the arrival of RRS operatives. We collected a lot of money, mobile phones and jewellery to mention a few."

He noted that two of his colleagues opened fires at the Police upon sighting them approaching with their vehicle. “When we sighted the police approaching, we had no choice than to shoot them. We opened fire on them and they retaliated immediately. But when we noticed that we were about to run out of bullets, we decided to take to our heels. Unfortunately for me, while other managed to escape, the police arrested me because I was unable to join the waiting vehicle," he revealed.

“If I had known I would not have followed them that night. It was my first time of going out with them. I didn’t know they were into robbery but when I discovered the kind of business they wanted to introduce to me, it was too late for me to reject, they also threatened to kill me if I expose them," the suspect regretted. 

Speaking with one of the victims who, did not want his name in print, alleged that the arrested suspect led the other members of his gang to their house. According to him, "That was the man who pointed gun at everyone of us threatening to shoot us if we fail to cooperate with them. They had to destroy my door room with sledge hammer before they could enter my room."

Another victim who lives on Onibeju Street, confirmed the allegation that the suspect led his colleagues to their building. "It was a bad midnight for all of us. In fact, he hit one of our neighbors with the pump action. The man in question has been hospitalized receiving treatment," he added.

The victims of the five buildings they visited on Ibeje and Onibeju streets, besieged RRS' headquarters to identify the suspect as the gang leader who threatened to waste their lives.

"When I did the calculation, the fleeing robbers had escaped with amount of N549,500 collected from all of us with other valuables," one of the victims said.

The items recovered from the arrested suspect were one cut-to-size pump action, Jack Knife, two laptops, 14 handsets, wrist watch and Two Thousand and Six Hundred Naira (2,600).

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmus, noted that the suspect is helping the Police with investigation in order to arrest the fleeing robbers.

She assured that the Police Command will leave no stone unturned to relegate and suppress any criminal who wants to disturb the existing peace the good people of the state are enjoying at the moment.

We Are Always Battle Ready To Fight Crime

Police are at alert in strategic points across Lagos State, including our boarder areas. You can approach any of our men on duty for assistance. Our men are well trained officers with the right spirit to serve you better!

We are professionals and always ready to help in all situation. Call 112 or 767 or approach us whenever you are in distress or in need urgent security attention.

If you have any complaint against our men, please send a direct text message (SMS) or WhatsApp only to the Commander on 09053950347. The Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Owoseni, has zero tolerance for any form of bad conduct by our men. We do not joke with discipline.

Feel free to approach and talk to us anywhere. With more of your cooperation, we can do much better.

RRS cares!

RRS Recovers Stolen Toyota Sienna in Agege

Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command recovers a stolen Toyota Sienna in Agege area of Lagos Metropolis. The vehicle were tracked to Ojodu Berger and chased to Mile 2 and Ikorodu all night.

RRS Nabs Suspected Car Thief

Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, nabbed, Benjamin Michael, 27, for attempting to remove a Mercedes Benz A-Class with the registration number UB 202 AAA from the park at a popular night club (name withheld) in Ikeja. 

The suspect, who hails from Ughelli in Delta State, was arrested after the Policemen prevented the angry mob from carrying out jungle justice on him when they sighted him entering the car.

The suspect, who had sustained various degrees of injuries on his head before the arrival of RRS operatives, was taken to the hospital for medical attention by the police.

Upon his arrival at the RRS’ headquarters, he confessed that his plan was to steal the vehicle and take it out of Lagos to a neighbouring country to sell.

"I took a wrap of Indian-hemp before I went to the club that night. On getting to the club, I was looking for a car whose door was not locked. Then, I started opening all the vehicles parked at the club's parking space one after the other. I discovered that the car in question was not locked, which gave me free entry into it. I entered the car quietly with the aim of removing it from where it was parked and take it out for sale,” he disclosed.

The suspected criminal said that he was unaware that some people were seeing him while entering the vehicle.

He added: As I entered the car, I saw a group of men coming towards me. I still pretended as if the car was mine. When they got to my side, they asked me if the car was mine. Unknowingly to me, the owner of the car was with them.

I confidently told them the car belonged to me. They dragged me out of the vehicle and started beating me. If not for the timely intervention of the RRS officers, they would have killed me that night".

It was gathered that the Policemen who were on their routine patrol along the axis, rescued the suspect when he was about to be set ablaze by the enraged youth.

While confirming the arrest, the spokesperson of Lagos State Police Command, Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmus, said that efforts were in progress to arrest to arrest his colleagues.

"The suspect would be charged to court upon completion of our investigations. My advice to every vehicle owner is to ensure that your vehicles are parked in a secured place and properly locked to prevent car thieves from taking undue advantage of such negligence," she added.

No Gun Shot Can Pierce My Body – Cult Suspect

The leader of a cult group who was over the weekend arrested by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command in Jakande Estate, Ajah area, Lagos suburb, has said that no amount of gun-shot can penetrate his body.

The cult suspect, Andrew Awalebi, 35, who belonged to the Eiye Confraternity, was arrested on Friday morning at a beer parlour in company of three other cult members around 8:00 a.m. Two other members of the cult group, Adegoke Adeleke (30), Kehinde Adebogun (31), were also picked up early Saturday morning at an hotel in Ikorodu.

Awalebi, from Ilaje Local Government, Ondo State was given out by Michael Thompson of the same Eiye Confraternity as a cult leader. Thompson was arrested a night before for robbery in National Stadium Surulere, Lagos. Awalebi disclosed that he worked with a popular land owner in Lekki. He claimed that he earns N40, 000:00 monthly from the property dealer for helping to protect his landed property in the axis. He told investigator that the gun-shot protective charm was specially prepared for him by an herbalist in Ijebu-Isiwo, Ogun State, to save him from gunshots of land grabbers in Lekki.

He added “I was initiated into Eiye Confraternity in 1996 by Banji Omisore, and later in 1997 I was promoted as its topmost leader after the death of Omisore…. We are eight member cult group. We meet very early in the morning or late at night. I have been arrested by Special Anti-Robbery Squad sometimes ago when my cult group caused mayhem in Jakande Estate, inflicting injuries on passers-by in the area."

Arrested alongside Awalebi were Michael Thompson (24), Adegoke Adeleke (30), Kehinde Adebogun (31), Koffi Kwame (17), Daniel Olayiwola (36) and Tosin Issac (26) as they all confessed to be members of Eiye Confraternity.

While confirming the arrest, the image maker of Lagos Police Command, Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmos, warned parents and guardians to be wary of their children and wards' behaviors. "Charity begins at home. But this should end in homes alone. Parents should help police to tackle cultism in their respective localities. They should endeavor to report to the nearest police station around them if they suspect movements of their children. This will help the Police to nip the cultism to the bud," she advised.

The cult suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department (SCID), Panti, for prosecution.

RRS Recovers Stolen Toyota Hilux

A Toyota Hilux 2014 model, stolen from where it was parked at Tiwalade Street, Shogunle, Oshodi of Lagos State, was this afternoon recovered by RRS officials. The officials intercepted a radio report of a stolen Hilux before tracking the vehicle to Ebute, Ikorodu where it was recovered. The robbers escaped on sighting the RRS officials.

The Hilux belonging to a Lagos based company, served as a security vehicle. According to the driver of the vehicle, Felix Agunbiade, the vehicle was parked at his residence around 2:30 a.m in Shogunle. He woke up this morning with a plan to pick his company's CEO, who was visiting from Dubai, only to discover the pick-up was missing.

As at the time of recovering the vehicle, its number plate has been changed and replaced with LSR 400 CZ. The vehicle has been handed over to the DPO of the Police Division at Shogunle in the presence of the owner's representative.

According to the Lagos State Police Command PRO, SP Dolapo Badmos, investigation is on-going to arrest all members of the robbery gang.

RRS Recovers 8 Stolen Vehicles, Busts Trans-Boarder Crime

The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, has recovered Eight (8) stolen vehicles from a member of a syndicate specialized in trans-border crime and stealing vehicles in Lagos and moving them to Ogun and neighbouring countries to sell.

The operatives of RRS, who were working on a reported case of stolen Toyota Corolla from where it was parked in Ikeja Business District, Lagos, tracked the vehicle on Thursday night to a compound in Kobape, Abeokuta, belonging to a car dealer.

According to the report, it was gathered that the Toyota Corolla, grey, 2004 model with registration number, KRD 759, belonging to Mrs. Olaitan Lawal, was removed from the car park during a church programme at Ikeja, at about 6:00 pm on Thursday before it was found around 1:00 a.m. on Friday.

According to the owner of the car, “I took my car to the church and I parked it at the space designated for parking. After the church service, I went back to pick my car to go home, but I couldn’t find the car…. Immediately, I called Lagos emergency line on 112 and I reported to the representative. As if that was not enough, I went straight to Area F in Ikeja, to equally lodge the complaint…. At the station, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) connected me to the Commander of RRS, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Olatunji Disu, as capable hand to handle the case…. The DPO also gave me the Commander's phone number, and, when I called him, he assured me that my car would be found. By this time, it was around 9:00 p.m. at night…. At home, I couldn’t sleep until around, 12:15 a.m. after midnight when I saw the Commander’s call requesting that I describe my car. I gave him, and he told me that he had found my car in somewhere in Abeokuta. I couldn’t believe my ears. In about six hours interval, my car was found."

The D’coy team moved to Abeokuta that same night and led to the arrest of two prime suspects who have confessed their connections with the recovered Corolla and seven other stolen cars presently at the RRS headquarters.

The suspects, Samuel Adebeshin, 56, the receiver of the stolen vehicles, who lives at 13 Kobape Road, Abeokuta, and an accomplice, Adeyemi Kamoru, 50, repeatedly maintained that the eight vehicles were all stolen at different locations in Lagos.

In his confessional statement, "I have been in auto business for thirty years. I know all these cars brought to me were all stolen cars, but I thought I was safe enough here in my palatial compound…. About two years ago, I met Kamoru Adeyemi. He was the middleman between me and the car thieves. He was the one who introduced Alhaji Tajudeen and one honourable, both still at large, to me as car dealers and crossers from Benin Republic…. Later on, I discovered they were car snatchers from Lagos. At this point, I couldn’t back out from the deal. Anytime they bring cars to me, it was Adeyemi who I give money to pay them because I didn't want people to identify me with them…. In the year 2014, I bought one Honda from them at the rate of three hundred thousand naira, but its market value was around Nine Hundred Thousand Naira then…. The money was given to Adeyemi. I later sold the car for Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira six months after…. Also, in the month of January 2015, I bought another Honda Accord 2000 model from them again; I also paid the thieves through our middleman, Adeyemi."

The suspect, who married two wives with seven children, noted that he had built two houses, two flats and an 8-room bungalow from this shady business.

In his words, "I built my first house, an 8 room-bungalow in 2006, and the second one, two flats in 2015 where I keep the stolen vehicles as they arrive from Lagos…. Once they bring the cars for me, we would repaint it, change their number plates and chassis numbers, and take them to neighbouring countries for sale…. Occasionally, I sold to people at my car mart, S. Aro Motors situated at 1, Kuto Road, Isabo, Abeokuta. On this penultimate day, at about 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Adeyemi called me that our boys have brought another Toyota Corolla for sale. By this time, I wasn't at home, but I instructed my first son to open gate for them…. The car was parked in my premises, awaiting the usual refurbishment and painting…. However, At about 12:30 a.m., a team of policemen came to my house and asked me to give account of the Toyota Corolla car. I opened up to them. I told them that all those involved are Adeyemi, Alhaji Tajudeen Bello and Honourable. They brought all those cars to me…. I took the Police to Adeyemi's residence where he was arrested while others were still at large."

On his part, Adeyemi disclosed that poverty pushed him into the crime. He confessed: “I met Adebeshin some years back. Before now, I do assist him to cross vehicle from Benin to Nigeria…. Anytime those boys went for operation and succeeded, they will call me, and I will inform him that we have another car. And I will drive the car to his premises in Kobape where buyers usually come to buy them…. In any deal we do, they paid me Thirty-Thousand Naira. On this day, one of the car snatchers called me to meet them at Sagamu interchange. On getting there, I found out they have another stolen car…. I led them from Sagamu interchange to Adebesin's house. Alhaji drove the stolen car, while Bello drove Pontiac black colour. This was the first time I will be arrested in connection with stolen cars. It was poverty and frustration that led me to this criminal act."

The other seven vehicles recovered from Adebeshin's compound were Mercedes Benz 230; Acura MDX; Murano, Volkswagen Passat station wagon, Renault, Pontiac and Toyota Camry.

The Lagos State Police Spokesperson, Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmus, said the suspects are helping the Police with investigations. She added that efforts are on-going to arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate.

RRS Nabs Okada Rider For Driving On Footbridge

Ayodeji Ijitola, 32, whose photograph appeared above was today arrested around 1:30 pm by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) along Ikorodu Road while driving a motorcycle (Okada) on a footbridge made for pedestrians at Irawo bus stop. 

Apart from riding Okada on a footbridge, he was also driving in restricted area where Okadas are banned. The police and everybody there were shocked by the effrontery. 

His Okada has been impounded and transferred with the suspect to Taskforce for prosecution.