CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
The arrest of a 23-year old man, Yakubu Yusuf, just hours after he was released from prison custody for committing the same offence, may have confirmed that he is a habitual criminal operating in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports as disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed that the suspect, Yusuf, was in Police custody undergoing interrogation over his conduct.
He stated that the operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) arrested Yusuf, who was an ex-convict, hours after he was released from prison after breaking into Lagos State Fire Service premises, from where he stole valve covers of old fire truck under repairs.
He had earlier been arrested and charged before the Court for stealing at Lagos State fuel dump, Alausa, Ikeja.
He was found guilty and sentenced to one month imprisonment with an option of fine and was remanded in custody, where he was serving his prison term.
While Yusuf was serving the prison sentence because he could not pay the fine, which was an option, an NGO facilitated his release by paying the fine 10 days after his conviction.
He regained his freedom and within some hours, again he went and stole, was eventually caught in the act and handed over to the Police.
SP Benjamin stated that the suspect, Yusuf, was detained, interrogated and he made confessional statement over the conduct confirming that he just regained his freedom, went back to commit same crime and was caught.
The Police spokesman stated that the CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi-led RRS has since transferred the suspect to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation over the conduct.
He said that Yusuf will be prosecuted for the alleged offence but that will be after the conclusion of investigations by the Police.