Police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command over the weekend arrested 13 suspected traffic robbers in Oshodi and Ketu areas of the state as it intensified efforts in mopping up criminals suspected to be attacking motorists and commuters in traffic.
The arrest came on the heels of the four-day surveillance on black spots in Oshodi and Alausa (Ketu), with a view to weeding out criminals in the areas, where it was reliably gathered that the suspects pretend to be load carriers in Oshodi, but abscond with travellers’ loads at dawn and at night.
It has also been gathered that they often attack and rob unsuspecting Lagosians, especially travellers and commuters, in the areas.
The suspects were picked up by the RRS Commander CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi-led team between 10:45pm on Friday and 4:30am on Saturday at Oshodi Oke and Alausa respectively.
The all male suspects who were picked up in Oshodi included Tinuola Ajibola (18), Adeniji Farouk (16), Wale Ajetunmobi (24), Chibueze Okasa (17), Taiwo Goodluck (36), Sodiq Timileyin (23), Salami Alex (21), Umar Abubakar (20), Micheal Iroaja (36), Abba Mohammed (20) and Mukaila Fasepe (43).
The other two suspects, Saviour Nwoko (21) and Ayomide David (19) 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 operates 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 11:20pm.
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, a 22-year-old male, and Desire Chukwu, a 21-year-old female.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has directed that the 15 suspects be transferred to State CID Panti, Yaba for proper investigation, while he assured the good people of Lagos State of adequate security and conducive environment to live in and do businesses as expected.