The police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested 13 suspected traffic robbers in Oshodi and Ketu (Alausa) areas of the state.
The suspects were arrested between Friday, January 29 and Saturday, January 30, 2021.
The arrest was part of the RRS’ intensification of efforts in mopping up criminals suspected to be attacking motorists and commuters in traffic.
The arrest came on the heels of the 4-day surveillance carried out on black spots in Oshodi and Alausa (Ketu) with a view to weeding out criminals in the areas.
The areas, it was reliably gathered are places where the suspects, most of who pretend to be load carriers in Oshodi, but abscond with travellers’ loads at dawn and at night, are located.
It was also been gathered that they often attacked and robbed unsuspecting Lagosians, especially travellers and commuters, in the areas.
The suspects were picked up by the Rapid Response Squad’s, RRS, Commander, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi’s led team between 10:45 p.m. on Friday and 4:30 a.m. on Saturday at Oshodi Oke and Alausa respectively.
The suspects that were picked up in Oshodi included Tinuola Ajibola, m, (18); Adeniji Farouk, m, (16); Wale Ajetunmobi, m, (24); Chibueze Okasa, m, (17); Taiwo Goodluck, m, (36); Sodiq Timileyin, m, (23); Salami Alex, m, (21); Umar Abubakar, m, (20); Micheal Iroaja ,m, (36), Abba Mohammed,m, (20) and Mukaila Fasepe, m, (43).
Others, police said, included Saviour Nwoko (21) and Ayomide David (19) who were caught in the act by the team, at different locations, with machete and stolen phones in Alausa, Lagos.
David, alias Sharwama, one of the suspects and ex-convict, has disclosed to the police that his gang used to operate along Olowopopo Road, Ojodu and Ojota.
In another development, police operatives attached to Meiran Division of the command have arrested two suspected armed robbers at Ikola Ipaja Bridge, while on pin down point, on January 27, 2021 at 11. 20 p.m.
The suspects were stopped on a motorbike before they were arrested and searched.
Upon search, one locally-made pistol, charms and weed suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from them.
The two suspects are Oluwadamilare Folami, m, 22 and Desire Chukwu, f, 21.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has directed that the 15 suspects be transferred to State CID Panti, Yaba, for proper investigation.
He also assured the people of Lagos State of adequate security and conducive environment to live in and do businesses as expected.
