Police Arrest Two Robbers in Lagos

By Chiemelie Ezeobi

The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two armed robbers in two separate operations in Ikotun and Olodi – Apapa area of the state.

This is just as they recovered they gun they used for the operation, as well as some jewelry, laptop and 18 mobiles phones from the armed robbery gang.

While 22-year-old Bashir Wasiu, an Oyo State indigene, was arrested at Olodi-Apapa, the other suspect, 23-year-old Tunde Adedeji, from Abeokuta, Ogun State, was arrested at Ikotun.

Bashir had in company of his two other gang members, waylaid their victim, one Viho Segun at his residence and made away with his documents, phones and N15,000 from him at gun point before leading him to his flat 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 the gun butt and beat the wife to a pulp.

According to the victim, “When he started beating my wife, I summoned courage to engage him. As soon as we started fighting, his colleague took to their 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.”

In his confession, the suspect said: “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.”

Meanwhile, Adedeji, the suspect who was arrested at Ikotun confessed that his 10-man gang had in invaded Muslim  and Omotayo Streets, where they robbed all the occupants of the three buildings they targeted.

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 victim.

“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.”

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.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Relations Spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the police will not rest on its oars, adding that the command would continue to work round the clock to reduce crime in the state.

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