Chiemelie Ezeobi
A day after he was robbed by the duo of Emmanuel Anyanwu and Kennedy Ujagbor at Cele Bus stop, their victim, one Sammy Bolaji, was luckily able to track them to a drinking joint, before he alerted the police to arrest them.
Having identified them, the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command arrested the two-man robbery gang, who specialise in defrauding unsuspecting members of public around Cele Bus Stop, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway of Lagos.
The suspects, 39-year-old Anyanwu, an ex-convict and 42-year-old Ujagbor, a drug addict, when confronted by the police admitted to the said offence.
Anyanwu, in his confession said, “We are swindlers. We are always on the street looking for people to defraud. Yesterday, we met this guy. Our plan was to play him and it didn’t seem to work out, so we snatched his bag and ran away. His bag is in Ketu.
“Normally, what we do is tell our victim that we are foreigners with a huge consignment of mobile phones and stationery. We would now pretend that we were in search of marketers with enough money to buy the goods.
“In the process, we persuade our victims to show interest in buying the goods by dangling before them an irresistible offer.
“If they show interest, we tell them to demonstrate their seriousness with a commitment by depositing their phones, money or jewellery. That is how we con them.”
Their victim, Bolaji, who was on his way to Ogun State when he was stopped by the duo said, “They asked me if I knew a particular address and I told them that I was a stranger in that area.
“As I made to leave them, one of them grabbed my bag from behind and took to his heels. The second one followed suit. I ran after them but I guess they knew the route more than I do, so they escaped before people around could even come to terms with what was going on.
“Sadly for me, in that bag were a sum of N7,500, two mobile phones, clothes and other personal effects. I had to discontinue the journey because all I had on me were gone.
“The following day, my mum chose to drive me through this same spot where my bag was snatched. Luckily for me, I saw these same guys sipping alcohol early in the morning very close to the spot.
“I alighted not telling my mom what I had seen, at least to confirm first. As things would work my way, I saw RRS’s patrol vehicle passing by and I waved them down, narrated all that happened yesterday and they followed me to where these guy were sitting.
“They were shocked to see me with the police. They interrogated them and arrested them after confirming the incident. They promised the officers that they would retrieve my bag for me in Ketu, where they sold it to.”
Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos, said the police would leave no stone unturned towards reducing crime in the state.
The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
