How we rob in Lagos traffic – Suspect

Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Lagos State Command have arrested one Tunde Raphael, 24, alleged to be a notorious traffic robber. The suspect, who was last week arrested by the officials of the RRS, also explained how he and 19 other gang members dispossessed motorists and commuters of their belongings in Mile 2 […]

Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Lagos State Command have arrested one Tunde Raphael, 24, alleged to be a notorious traffic robber.

The suspect, who was last week arrested by the officials of the RRS, also explained how he and 19 other gang members dispossessed motorists and commuters of their belongings in Mile 2 Bridge traffic. 

Tunde, who was arrested in Mile 2 traffic at past 5:00am along with two other accomplices, Samuel Kolawole, 23 and Solomon Omini, 32, on Wednesday after a chase by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, said the only job he had was robbing motorists and commuters of their belongings between 4:00am and 6:30am as well as at night.

He said he and about 20 colleagues worked in twos or threes holding toy guns, machetes, Jack knives, hammers, rods and other weapons to dispossess commuters of phones, money, jewellery, laptops and other possessions.

“It is a job I have been doing now for more than a year. As soon as we approach a car, we tell the occupants to bring out their belongings. Some would cooperate with us and give us their phones and money.

“Some would wind up. I laugh at them because we would break that glass or use our prepared mixture that when thrown at their side glasses, would bring them down gently and we would take all that we want and leave the place. “We do this every day. We know when to come and when not to. We work with the nature of traffic. We target passersby too. Those going to work or traders going to market are our main target. If you are old on the job, you get good targets. I sold the phones I collect for between N3,000 to N4,000 daily,” he said.

He explained further, “Recently we collected a huge amount of money from three occupants of a vehicle. I don’t know the precise amount. We were two, my colleague tried to abscond with the money and I tried tracking him. Unfortunately for me, he noticed me and eventually cut me with a machete at a corner in the head. I lost so much blood and I was there unconscious.” A drama however ensued during the interrogation of the suspects at RRS headquarters at Alausa when a phone allegedly owned by one of the suspects, Samuel Kolawole, started ringing. 

Police detectives who were quizzing the suspect switched the phone on speaker out only for the caller, later identified as one Robert, to claim the ownership of the phone, stressing that the phone was collected from him in Mile 2 by armed robbers. Kolawole who had earlier claimed ownership of the phone in his statement, said he bought the phone from his colleague that morning for N1,500.

Commenting on the development, police spokesman, CSP Chike Oti, said the three suspects had been transferred to the F-SARS in Ikeja for further investigation.