The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, over the weekend, apprehended two members of a robbery gang using motorcycle popularly called Okada to rob around Lekki – Ajah Expressway in Lagos.
The two suspects, Odunayo Mustapha, 22, and Adedayo Akinjola, 22, were arrested by the RRS bikers on patrol duty after they had successfully snatched a mobile phone from an unsuspecting member of public.
The Police authority revealed that the suspects were nabbed while trying to escape with their motorcycle.
“We were able to intercept the fleeing robbers when their victim, a young lady, screamed that her mobile phone had been snatched. Immediately, we gave the fleeing suspects a chase which led to the arrest of two of them while the third suspect later identified as Lekan made away with the stolen phone”, one of the policemen said.
In their statements at the RRS headquarters in Alausa, the suspects confessed that they were a three – man gang who usually rob in traffic gridlock along Lekki – Ajah corridor.
The leader of the gang, Odunayo Mustapha, who hails from Ijebu-Igbo in Ogun State, said that he was lured into the crime due to financial predicament. He disclosed to the Police that his victim’ s phone attracted his attention when he peeped into her car while on the bike.
According to him,” three of us left home in search of our would-be victims. On getting to Ajah opposite a shopping mall , where traffic is usually hectic, we sighted a woman in a car holding a phone, then, I alighted from the motorcycle while my two other members were standing by on the motorcycle. I forcefully collected the phone from her and mounted the motorcycle, then we zoomed off.
” While on the run, we sighted the RRS men chasing us with brand new power-bike, later, they outran us but one of us disembarked and took to his heels with the stolen phone, while we got arrested”, he said.
The suspect claimed that lack of formal education was one of the reasons he took to robbery.
“I am an illiterate because my parents could not provide the wherewithal for me to have a formal education. This was what brought me to Lagos some years ago. While in the state, I started work as cart pusher around Jakande area in Ajah. Little proceeds from this business couldn’t sustain me. This is how I chose to be robbing innocent members of public with Okada for easy maneuvering after operation”, Odunayo revealed.
Recounting one of their recent operations to the Police: “our first operation was carried out by the three of us in Ajah, Lagos. We collected one Techno Android phone from our victim. It was sold to one Mallam Hassan by Adedayo, and a sum of N2,500 was giving to me. The second operation was not successful and the third one was this one that led to our arrest”, he revealed.
On his part, the second suspect, Adedayo, said, “before now, I was learning aluminium work but I could not complete it due to financial constraint.
“We just started the act of robbery in the area. And this was our third operation. The motorcycle we use belonged to the third suspect who is now at large”, he said.
The image maker in charge of the state Police command , Joe Offor confirmed the arrest of the suspects and added that efforts were in top gear to arrest the third suspect.
