My Friends Led Me Into ‘One Chance’ Robbery – Suspect

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A 50-year old man, Matthew Tokeme, who uses his Toyota Sienna bus for ‘one chance’ robbery operations has narrated how he ruined himself by following the bad advice of his friends, which has landed him in trouble.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Bayelsa born and father of four, Tokeme disclosed this at the Lagos Police Command in Ikeja, where he was paraded with other criminal suspects arrested across the State.

He said he was selling second hand clothes at Super area of Abule Egba, Lagos, before his friend abroad sent the vehicle in order to assist his family. He said that after clearing the vehicle from the port, his friends advised him to bring it for them to do runs, which is ‘once chance robbery’ and he accepted.
He narrated that in the first operation, he was able to make between N5,000 and N20,000 before he was arrested.

The suspect, Tokeme, was arrested after operatives of the Rapid Response Squad tracked the vehicle with registration number APP 488 FH to his residence in Ayotoro in Ogun State.

This was disclosed by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, through the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana at the Command.

He said that the suspect and three others now at large used the Toyota Sienna bus to rob commuters, who were trapped on the road following the restriction on commercial motorcycles, saying most victims took to social media to raise alarm about a particular Toyota Sienna and how they pretended to be loading passengers from Abeokuta Expressway to the Island only to divert and rob them. Hence he was tracked, eventually arrested and the vehicle recovered as exhibit by the Police.

The suspect, Tokeme, told reporters that he was lured into the crime by his friends who are currently at large, claiming that he only obtained a phone and laptop which he sold N5, 000 and N20, 000.

“I used to do business but my business failed and so my friend, who is abroad, sent me this vehicle for me to use for transportation so I can fend for my family. But it was those my friends, who I knew from the bus stop, that told me to bring my vehicle so we can use it for runs. I have known them for many years but I don’t know their houses.”

“We usually pick a passenger at a time so that we can easily overpower the person. We did not carry any weapon” Tokeme confessed.
DSP Elkana said RRS operatives were on the lookout for the vehicle following series of complaints on the social media.

“This is a Toyota Sienna described by quite a number of victims on several occasions, especially on the social media. Operatives of RRS, who have been on the lookout for the vehicle, intercepted it and the suspect was arrested. He is the leader of the robbery gang and the owner of the vehicle. He confessed to being the leader of the ‘one chance’ robbery gang” Elkana said.

He said that efforts were being made to arrest other members of the gang and they will be charged to Court after the conclusion of investigations.