We’re Non Violent, Leave Us Alone – Traffic Robbers Tell Police

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Traffic robbers arrested in Lagos have pleaded with the police to leave them alone to do their ‘businesses’ as they claimed that they were not violent in their operations in the State.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspects explained that they only robbed early in the mornings and late in the evenings at the bus stops, and that they were not known to cause any violence as they do not use weapons. Their reaction was as a result of the outcome of the war declared by the Police to decimate the operations of the traffic robbers at the bus stops as directed by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Imohimi Edgal.

P.M.EXPRESS had reported the arrest of some traffic robbers and the recovery of toy guns by the police.

Barely few days after some suspected traffic robbers were arrested at Oshodi, Shomolu, Ojota and Yaba areas, another set of suspects were recently arrested in various areas of the State. This time, 14 suspected traffic robbers were arrested at Igando and Owutu areas of the state.

The arrested suspects were Tunde Raphael, 24, Samuel Kolawole, 23, John Solomo Omini, 32, Friday Isah, 19 and Monday Joseph, 19.

Other suspects included Taiye Ayodele, 32, Mustapha Maliki, 32, Anibolu Felix, 21, Oyebamiji Fatai, 27, Mutiu Najeem, 38 Oyomide Jimoh, 19, Kehinde Arisa, 22 and Adesola Basit, 22.

The suspects were arrested and paraded at the Police Command where they confessed and pleaded with the police to set them free.

During their parade, the police boss said that the suspects were apprehended in the light of intelligence gathered and a decoy team of the RSS operatives swung into action and arrested them at the various bus stops. Edgal said that upon interrogation, the suspects confessed and said they have been in the business of robbing people during traffic congestions in the mornings and late evenings, stole phones, bags, money and other valuables from the victims.

He said that the police operatives had recovered many sim cards, phones, cut to size pistols and cartridges. Mr. Edgal said that the police were still interrogating the suspects and they will be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations. He warned criminal elements to leave the state or they will be fished out, arrested and prosecuted as Lagos was not safe for criminal elements to operate in.