Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested suspected armed robbers, in connection with various crimes committed in the state.
The suspects who were arrested at different locations in the state were paraded by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Edgal Imohimi, at the Command’s premises in Ikeja on Monday.
He stated that a six man notorious armed robbery gang operated at No. 37 Luggard avenue, Ikoyi Lagos. Investigation into the case commenced immediately.
However, that the big break came on the 25th of April, 2018, at about 1530hrs with the arrest of one John Aniefok ‘m’ and OsazeIduwe ‘m’ at Obalende area of Lagos by a combined team of the Command’s operatives and FSARS personnel. The same team trailed and arrested Timothy Iduwe and Osogbayi ‘m’ in Benin City, Edo State on 01/05/2018.
The lesson here for criminals according to the CP is: no matter how long it takes, once you strike in Lagos, the Command will never let you out of its radar until you are arrested and prosecuted. He said.
In another development, arrest of suspected pipeline vandals at Abule-Egba junction, Ekoro, based on information received and analyzed by the Intelligence arm of the Command, that some suspected persons were vandalizing NNPC Pipeline at Abule-Egba area of Ekoro, Lagos State.
In order to prevent economic sabotage and possible outbreak of fire, the Command dispatched the RRS Ops Decoy Team to the scene to take appropriate action. At the scene, the following persons who had already damaged some pipes were arrested:- Chibuzor Nwoko ‘m’ 25 years (driver); AmudaTaoreed 37 years (driver); Abdulrazaq Mohammed 47 years (the Spy Okada man in charge of recce patrols ); Olagunju Nurudeen 27 years (motor boy); Adedeji Adeshina (motor boy). And, recovered at the scene includes: Two (2) 33,000 litres Tanker -lorries without registration number plates; One (1) Mahindra motorcycle with NNPC plate.
Soon after arresting the suspects, the Command contacted the NNPC Maintenance Unit to repair and stop the leakages while the Police and the Fire Service men were on standby to protect lives and property.
The members of the public are enjoined to watch out for vandals and give information about their activities to security agents as lives saved may be that of relations or friends. Suspects would be charged to court soon.
In another case, a case of conspiracy/armed robbery/unlawful possession of firearm (TOY PISTOL), the Command received information from members of the public that an armed robbery gang usually operates during rush hours often characterized by slow traffic or gridlock. Based on the report, the Command deployed a team of undercover operatives assisted by FSARS crack team from the Ladipo annex to fish out the suspects behind the robberies at Charity Bus-stop, Oshodi, Lagos.
The surveillance mounted on that axis led to the arrest of the following persons in their hideout close to the road. The suspects are: Imole Otegbeye ‘m’ 22 years; Ibrahim Raymond ‘m’ 28 years; Mufutau Rilwan ‘m’ 22 years; Samad Sikiru ‘m’ 23 years; Rilwan Abdulsalam ‘m’ 22 years; Ibrahim Salami ‘m’ 26 years; Idowu Lamidi ‘m’ 28 years; Ismaila Malik ‘m’ 25 years; Ayodele Ezekiel ‘m’ 28 years; Ayodele Oluwafemi ‘m’ 36 years. Recovered from them is the tool of their trade, a toy pistol.
Nevertheless, the Command will charge them for armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearm because the impression they create in the minds of their victims with the so called toy pistol, was that an unlawful force would be used on them if they refuse to part with their valuables.
The Commissioner equally brought up a case of recovery of arms & ammunition. On 04/05/2018 at 1230hrs information was received that some hoodlums were in a hideout at Olusoga Street by Alafia Munshin. But, based on the information, the DPO Munshin mobilized his men to the area.
However on sighting the policemen, the hoodlums took to their heels. The police team combed the hideout and recovered one Brownie Pistol with breech number ROA 380425PZ15595 loaded with two rounds of ammunition. You can imagine what they could have done with the pistol if it was not recovered.
Based on credible information received , a team of Raider operatives SCIID, Panti led by ASP Joseph Akingboji arrested the following suspected armd robbers who have been terrorizing Ojo and Okokomaiko areas of Lagos.
Wasiu Adam ‘m’ 24ys; Rasheed Yekini ‘m’ 23yrs; Babatunde Ibrahim 27yrs; Funmilayo Safiyat ‘f’ 28yrs; Afeez Adeola ‘m’ 20yrs; Rilwan Mohammed ‘m’ 24yrs; Idowu Agboola ‘m’ 22yrs; Mohammed Abubakar ‘m’ 21yrs; Emmanuel Joseph ‘m’ 24yrs.
They were all rounded up in their various hideouts within Ajangbadi and Okokomaiko. The following items were recovered in an uncompleted building in Okokomaiko. English made Double Barrel gun cut to size; One locally made single barrel Pistol; One Live Cartridge; One operational Bajaj Motorcycle with Reg. No AKN-386-QF; Quantities of Weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp. The suspects had earlier mentioned one Funmilayo Safiyat and Mohammed Abubakar as the receivers of their loots.
The command made arrest of cultist/armes robber on 14/04/2018, two notorious groups of hoodlums later identified later identified as Sanusi Soye Streets boys that have been disturbing the peace of Itire and its environs engaged in a free for all fight at Ajegunle-Itire. While the fight was going on, one of the gang leader called Lanre alias ‘Tiro’, mobilized some of his group members to No. 15, Awope Street, Itire, Lagos and robbed one Mr. Eze Uche, an Electronic and Handset dealer. The hoodlums made away with ten(10) pieces of Plasma TV of various brands and twenty-five pieces of Handsets all valued over one million naira.
Consequently, Raiders operatives attached to SCIID Panti launched a manhunt to arrest the perpetrators. Their efforts paid off on the 4th of May, 2018, with the arrest of the following persons: Efe Etutiwe ‘m’ 21yrs; Kazeem Saka ‘m’ 24 yrs; Samuel Olubayo ‘m’ 27yrs; Habeeb Salem ‘m’ 26yrs; and Mustapha Muyideen ‘m’ 31yrs.
Edgal, came up with the update on diamond estate murder. The alleged murder of one Barr. Otike Odibi aged 50 yrs by his wife Barr. Udeme Odibi ‘f’ aged 47yrs at Diamond Estate, Ogombo, Lagos. Finding so far in the case revealed the followings: That the couple had marital issues bothering on extra-marital affairs; That on the day of the incident, the suspect sent a WhatsApp message to her sister in-law complaining about her husband and asked her to pray for them and equally ask God to forgive her; That the suspect, Udeme Odibi in her statement confessed to the commission of the alleged crime and also called her mother on phone that she has killed her husband; That the suspect had hit the deceased with a frying pan on his head before stabbing him with a knife; That the murder weapon has been recovered; That the deceased had earlier called his mother on phone and reported that his wife was threatening to kill him with a knife; That after stabbing the deceased on the stomach and seeing the intestines forced out, the suspect did not assistance from their neighbours, rather, she called her mother who was miles away that she has killed her husband; That the killing is suspected to be premeditated as the suspect procured a set of knives with which she used to execute her plan; That the suspect had packed all her certificates including O’Level Certificates and had made all arrangements to travel to the United Kingdom on Thursday morning 3rd March, 2018 by 0500 hrs via Virgin Atlantic Airline.
Edgal said that the autopsy on the deceased is currently being carried out at LASUTH by a team of Pathologists while the forensic analysis result is being compiled and would be made public later.
In another development, conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace/insult to religion contrary to sections 168 & 124 respectively of criminal laws of Lagos state 2015.
The Command is investigating a case against one Pastor Chris Mordi ‘m’ 35yrs for the aforementioned offences. The suspect claimed to be the founder and head of Miracle of Fire Ministry located at Ado Road, Langbasa.
On the 05/05/2018, the undercover operatives of the Command intercepted an inciting publication titled “Beware of Catholic Women Organization (CWO) and the Knights for they are occultic (the truth must be unveiled)”.
The suspect was subsequently arrested and would be charged to court.
In the same manner, the command made seizure of weeds suspected to be illicit drugs. On 04/05/2018 at 0130 hrs the DPO Osolu Kingdom and team intercepted one Segun Bashiru and three(3) other accomplices with eighteen bales of weeds suspected to be Cannabis Marijuana at Ajidun waterways. Also recovered from the suspects is a cash sum of two hundred and fifty thousand Naira(N250,000) and the two boats used in ferrying their illicit products. Case is currently under investigation.