2 Highway Truck Hijackers Sent To Prison

PAUL IYOGHOJIE

Operatives of the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad, FSARS, at Adeniji Adele road, Lagos Island have arrested two suspected highway truck hijackers for allegedly hijacking a truck with registration number Gombe FKY-664XA conveying 2,700 cartons of branded detergent along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and sold the goods to two Lagos traders at giveaway price.

Police identified the suspects as Kamoru Sikiru, 28 and Muritala Muhammed, 35.

Police alleged that the fleeing gang leader, identified simply as Saheed, led the arrested suspects to attack the truck driver, Jubril Umar, and hijacked the truck from the driver, armed with guns and cutlasses, and drove it to Costain area of Surulere, Lagos where they off loaded the goods and sold them off.

The suspects, according to the police, later drove the empty truck to a spot on Ikorodu road, Lagos to dump it and escaped.

Police identified the Lagos trader, who allegedly received the stolen goods, as Muyinat Olaitan, 66, a resident of 5, Shimore Street, Ilogbo, EbuteMetta, Lagos. and Azzizat Bolanle Ajayi, 54, who resides at Olaitan area of Surulere, Lagos.

Police alleged that nemesis caught up with the arrested suspects following a complaint by the owner of the truck and goods, AlhajiLawal Illyiasu, to the DCP in charge of FSARS, Ibrahim Kaoje that he sent his driver with a truck to convey goods to customers in Kano state but he was nowhere to be found.

Following the report, Kaoje directed his team led by CSP DauraDanladi to track and arrest the driver. Following intelligence gathering, detectives arrested the two suspect at Apapa Lagos while the truck driver was found at a hospital receiving treatment from injuries inflicted on him by the suspects.

During investigations, the arrested suspects allegedly confessed to the crime and led the police to  arrest the two receivers of the stolen goods who also led the police to recover all the goods from their warehouses.

All the suspects were arraigned before an Igbosere magistrate court on a four count charge of armed robbery and receiving stolen goods. Police prosecutor, NosaUhumwangbo, said in charge No. C/61/2016 that the offences are punishable under sections 6(b)1(2)(a)(3) of the robbery and firearms act CAP R11, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The two traders pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime and chief magistrate A. O. Komolafe admitted them to bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum. Komolafe ordered that the two other suspects be remanded in prison custody pending the advice from the DPP’s office on the matter.

She adjourned the case till 15 December, 2016 for mention while the two traders were taken to Kirikiri prisons pending when they will fulfill their bail conditions