Police Arrest Seven Dismissed Soldiers, 81 Others for Robbery, Cultism in Lagos

 

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 88 suspects for various acts of criminality, including seven dismissed soldiers, who allegedly raided and robbed in military uniforms.

According to the police command, a breakdown of the figure signified that 40 were armed robbery suspects, 29 were cultists and 19 were murder suspects, just as 19 firearms and 51 rounds of live ammunition were recovered while 31 armed robbery attempts were foiled.

The state Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, who paraded the suspects at the Police Officers Mess in Ikeja on Monday, said the soldiers were arrested after the command received distress calls from residents of Ijegun and environs about their illegal activities.

The dismissed soldiers were identified as Ndidi Oluchukwu, 30; Owolabi Adeyemo, 42; David Olufemi, 47; Samuel Iseyin Israel, 41; Emeka Ibeh, 29; Samuel Anochime, 36, and Ebedo Stephen, 27.

According to him, “One of such incidents happened on February 18at about 4.35p.m. where a commuter, who was traveling to Ibadan from Ijegun, was accosted by the said armed robbers who dispossessed him of his black Lexus car RX330 at gunpoint.

“It was on the strength of those complaints that we tasked our Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives to identify the gang and apprehend them.

Members of the robbery gang were arrested at Ijegun, Baruwa Estate, Ipaja, Iyana-Ipaja, Isashi and Ikotun areas of Lagos State.

“Investigation revealed that the suspects are dismissed soldiers, and items-12 pairs of military camouflage uniforms, two cutlasses, ATM cards, military ID cards, jackknives, a female pant, and locally-made ring-were recovered from them.

“The suspects confessed to be responsible for series of robberies within Ijegun and its environs; and the suspects will be charged to court.”

In another development, the CP said the command arrested 18 notorious traffic robbery suspects, who specialised in snatching phones, money and other valuables from unsuspecting members of the public, mostly in traffic gridlocks.

The suspects, who operated mostly on motorcycles, were arrested, and one locally-made pistol, one tricycle, five Bajaj motorcycles, two cutlasses and two phones were recovered from them.

They also confessed to being members of Eiye Confraternity responsible for series of robberies at traffic points, bus stops around Yabatech area in Yaba, Ejigbo, Igando-Ikotun, Ipaja and Isolo areas of the state.

Similarly, the Ifako Police Division in the state also arrested 14 notorious armed robbery suspects and recovered two locally-made double barrel guns with six live cartridges, two pump action guns, two double barrel guns, and three single barrel guns with 14 cartridges.

The suspects also confessed to being members of Eiye Confraternity terrorising Bariga and Oworonshoki area of the state.

Also, the state police command arrested one Toby Akinbayo (aka Scorpion), one of the ring leaders of Awawa cult group, and his two gang members, Balogun Jide and Dolapo One.