A chronic robber who specializes in disguising as a scavenger to rob unsuspecting victims of their valuables has been arrested in Lagos.
The robbery suspect
A man, who disguises as a scavenger to rob people around Ojota in Lagos has been arrested by Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives. Abdullai Umar (24) was arrested by a RRS patrol team around Abiola Garden in Ojota.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is a member of a gang, which disguises as scavengers and hides arms in trucks to commit robbery. According to RRS, the suspect and other members of his gang threatened victims with weapons before robbing them of their valuables, such as phones, jewellery and cash
Two of Umar’s victims accompanied him to the RRS Headquarters at Alausa, Ikeja, to narrate their ordeals to the police. Mr Dayo Zachariah, one of the victims, said he was attacked along the road leading to China Town while going to work.
He said: “A guy jumped out from the bush and attacked me with a cutlass, and collected my phone and purse containing the sum of N1,700 and I.D card with bank teller and also a passport photograph.
“My phone and purse were recovered from him by the police but the money inside the purse had vanished.”
Another victim, Grace Akanna, told the police that the suspect also robbed him on that spot on the same day. RRS Commander, Olatunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, said the patrol team saw Zachariah and Akanna crying for help.
“Immediately, the policemen went after the suspect, who was nabbed while making an attempt to hide inside the flower in the area”.
The suspect, who claims that he hails from Kawo Local Government Area of Kaduna State, said: “I disguised as scavenger to rob people. I work with Sunday, Stephen, Papa, John, Muscle and Akeem.
“We operate around that area during day and night. My receiver is an Igbo man who owns a shop at Mile 2 in Lagos. I sold Nokia and Techno phones to him and any other stolen valuables including wrist-watches and jewellery. I am ready to cooperate with the Police to arrest other members of the gang”.
The police are currently on the trail of the other members of the robbery syndicate who are now at large.