MICHAEL AKINOLA
Police operatives have busted four members of “one chance” armed robbery gang and arrested two members while the other two members managed to escape during an operation in Ogun State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the two suspects, Aliu Oyetola, 35 and Seyi Afolabi, 40, were arrested by operatives from Sango Ota Police Division along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway following a hot chase after they robbed a victim with their operational vehicle.
This was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola, who confirmed that the suspects were in Police custody undergoing interrogation over their criminal conduct.
SP Odutola explained that their arrest followed a report by a female victim, who was robbed on 23rd March, 2024, after she boarded their Toyota Corolla taxi at Ijako Market on her way to the Itori area of the state. The gang dispossessed her of a smart phone worth N85,000, N123,000 withdrawn from her account through a POS machine, and a cash sum of N105,000, before she was pushed out of the vehicle.
“A four-man gang of ‘one chance’ robbery were given a hot chase by the Sango Ota Police operatives and two amongst them were arrested.”
“This was done following a report by a victim on the 23rd of March, 2024. The victim boarded a Toyota Corolla taxi at Ijako market, going to Itori, with four men surreptitiously posed as fellow passengers in the said taxi.”
“While on the way, the said men robbed the victim of her valuables, by forcefully dispossessing her of a smart phone valued at Eighty five thousand Naira (N85,000), money realized from POS machine sale, worth one hundred and twenty three thousand Naira (N123,000), and a separate cash sum of one hundred and five thousand Naira (N105,000) and subsequently pushed her out of the car and fled,”
“Acting on the report, the DPO Sango Ota Division gave his surveillance team a matching order to be on the look out, and unravel the perpetrators of the crime.
Policemen from Sango Division intensified their efforts , and other two fleeing suspects were apprehended on the 28th March, 2024, when a team of Policemen were on surveillance and routine patrol around the same route in Itori, having gotten details of their Toyota Corolla operational car. And on sighting the Policemen, the suspects abandoned their vehicle and ran into different directions. The crack Police operatives gave them a hot chase and they succeeded in arresting the duo of Aliu Oyetola ‘m’ 35yrs and Seyi Afolabi ‘m’ age 40yrs,” she stated.
The image maker stated that a blue Toyota Corolla vehicle with Reg No: GGE 659 FR, was recovered, adding that the suspects have made confessional statements and are cooperating with the Police by giving useful information that would lead to the arrest of other fleeing members.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alamutu, has ordered that the suspects be transferred to the Anti Robbery Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation and diligent prosecution.