RRS nabs two suspected robbers

The police in Lagos said they are interrogating wo men they alleged have been breaking into homes and boutiques in Lagos and Ogun states and stealing valuables. The police stated that operatives of its Rapid Response Squad arrested the two suspected robbers – Gbemi Ogunleye, 45, described as a fairly used cloth seller in Ijora […]

The police in Lagos said they are interrogating wo men they alleged have been breaking into homes and boutiques in Lagos and Ogun states and stealing valuables.

The police stated that operatives of its Rapid Response Squad arrested the two suspected robbers – Gbemi Ogunleye, 45, described as a fairly used cloth seller in Ijora and Ini Effiong, 32, a roadside Gala hawker in Oshodi – last Wednesday after the suspects had allegedly committed a robbery at the residence of a church cleric in Ibafo, Ogun State.

The suspects were said to have confessed they had been breaking into homes and boutiques in Ibafo and stealing clothes, mobile phones and electronics.

In his own confessional statement, Ogunleye stated that apart from the fairly used clothes, popularly known as ‘okrika’, which he was selling at Ijora, he had also been selling clothes and shoes he and his friend stole from their victims at night.

Effiong, on the other hand, told the police that he hawked snacks in traffic in the daylight but teamed up with Ogunleye to rob at night.

He confessed he also robbed in traffic at night and had snatched many mobile phones at Oshodi-Oke, Bolade and PWD, while pretending to be hawking in traffic.

Ogunleye said he met Effiong in February 2019 at Oke-Koto, Agege, and their discussion on how to survive the economic hardship of the time made them team up on robbery.

He added that before he met his colleague, he had been operating alone at Ibafo and Mowe. “I dont rob or burgle houses and boutiques everyday. Whenever I have money, I buy ‘okrika’ in Kotangora market and sell them in Ijora, Lagos,” he said.

On the last robbery operation they did at Ibafo before they were arrested, Ogunleye said, “We hid in the bush till 2am before we could gain entrance into the house. We used a crossbar to shift the burglary-proof and where we entered. We were with the occupants of the house till 5am. We collected five mobile phones, N4,000 and a motorcycle. We were at Oshodi when RRS bike riders intercepted and arrested us in the morning.”

Three victims of the suspects were said to have identified them already at the RRS headquarters.

Also arrested with the suspects was one Chinedu Onyema, alleged to be the receiver of stolen goods.

The police alleged that Onyema attempted to bribe them with N30,000.

Seven mobile phones, a sum of N4000 and a motorcycle with registration number GGE 962 QN were allegedly recovered from the suspects.