‘We Steal From Bike Riders Who Patronize Prostitutes At Night’ – Robbery Suspects

The operatives of Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command early Thursday morning busted two motor bike robbery gangs in Ajah and Mushin and arrested some members of the gangs. The suspects: Muyideen Adegboye, 25, a furniture maker in Idi-Oro, Mushin, and Idris Farouk, 26, an okada rider in Ikate Area, were arrested at separate incidents while using motor cycles to rob.

Muyideen Adegboye was arrested at about 3:00 a.m. with a stolen keke and two live cartridges while his other gang member escaped leaving behind the motorcycle the gang used for the operation.

Farouk on his part was arrested at Ikate Roundabout around 4:35 a.m. after himself and his gang member on okada with the aid of a cutlass robbed one Samsudeen Abiola of his phone and money.

According to Adegboye in his statement to the police, “we went to Alasalatu, Mushin to steal tri-cycle. This is the fourth time I would be following my colleague, Seyi, to steal keke. We use motor bike to rob very early in the morning and at night…. We sell the keke in Idi-Oro, Mushin. We sell them for N50,000. Seyi is the one that invited me into the business. I met him at the ghetto…. He is the one that owns the gun that we use during operations. I hold extra live cartridges for him while we operate. Whenever there is need for it, he collects them from me.”

Farouk added that himself and his accomplice, Wale, still at large, were robbers. He added that they operate around Ikate and Small Kuramo stealing okada.

“We steal the motor bike of riders who patronise ‘asewo’ on Small Kuramo. We monitor them, as soon as they entered the room for a quick one; we steal the okada and sell them. This was before it was destroyed…. My other gang members are Arisika and Abdullaziz. I met them in Ajah and we go on operations together. We steal okada and rob at night and dawn with our okada…. We have been in the business for more than two years. We sell stolen okada for N60,000. We share the proceeds of the operation among ourselves.”

Confirming the arrest of the two gangs, the Police PRO, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said that police are on the heels of other members of the gangs. He added that those arrested have been transferred to FSARS for further investigation.