The operatives of the Rapid
Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two
suspected robbers who specialise in attacking and robbing motorists and
commuters in Mile 2 area of Lagos State.
The suspects, Sunday Chukwunweike
(26) and Emmanuel Friday (28) were arrested after mid – night on Mile 2 Bridge
in Lagos after robbing a breakdown truck’s driver, Yinusa Salami alongside two
other accomplices, Silas and Sule, both still at large of a sum of N45,000 and
his mobile phone.
In his confession, one of the
suspects, Emmanuel, a secondary school dropout who later became a bus conductor
in the area said, “I was in the company of my friends when we saw the driver.
He was coming from Apapa. He stopped on the bridge to pick somebody.
It was the elderly ones among us
that robbed him. I thought they were going to drop some money for us to eat
when approached him.
It was Silas and Sule that dipped
their hands in his pockets and brough out some money.
They took the money and the phone
and we went our way.
They later told us that it was
N40,000: 00 they took in his pocket. Because they are stronger than us, they
gave my colleague and I N10,000:00 to share.
We were hungry, that was what made
us follow them. I took to the street after dropping out of school to fend for
myself.
Although, I have participated in so
many crimes such as inter-group fight, hemp smoking, pick pocketing and the
rest, I have never been involved in robbery or threatening people with gun or
dangerous objects”.
Emmanuel added, “I have been to the
prison twice, one in 2013 where I spent 7 months and also in 2016 where I
bagged 3 months after engaging in street fighting”
He continued: “Silas and Sule
forcefully collected a sum of N45,000 from the truck driver and gave both me
and Chukwunweike N10,000 as share from the loot. We went back to our usual
joint before the truck driver led men of the Rapid Response Squad to arrest
us”.
On his part, Chukwunweike, an
ex-convict confessed to the crime but blamed his wrong doing to the hard life
which he had expose himself to on the street. “I came back from prison after
spending 3 months but here I am again in another mess”.
The truck driver, Yinusa Salami
stated that he stopped at the bridge to pick up his brother who was waiting for
him there. “I was coming from Apapa and heading to Osun. I wanted to assist my
brother who was equally going to Osun State. I got to the bridge and I alighted
from the truck, that was when I saw four of them.
I was about giving them some money
when they seized my arms, before dragging me to the ground and forcefully
collected all the money in my pocket totalling N45,000 claiming they control
the area and nothing can happen afterwards.
I approached men of RRS stationed at
the other side of the bridge to report the incident. They followed me to track
the boys. That was when we saw the two of them trying to split their own share
of the money. They were arrested there but the other two guys escaped.”
The suspects have been transferred
to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigations and
prosecution.
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Society