I have stolen bikes in every state of the South-West, robbery suspect confesses

A member of a two-man robbery gang, who claimed to have stolen motorcycles in almost all the states in the South-Western part of Nigeria, has been arrested by the police.

The suspect, Jamiu (surname withheld) was, a few days ago, arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, after he stole a motorcycle at Ijora Olopa area of the state.

The victim of his last operation Israel Ikyav, a commercial rider at Ijora Olopa area of the metropolis, said  “I parked my okada beside a canteen around Ijora. As I entered the canteen to eat, I noticed people outside were chasing one guy.

“One of my colleagues rushed inside the canteen to call me that my okada had been stolen by one guy. I left the plate of food I ordered for and joined them in chasing him.”

Ikyav stated further that “if not for RRS operatives’ riders, the suspect would have made away with my bike.

“We knew that we could not catch up with him because he was far ahead of us with the bike. I quickly alerted the RRS riders, who were patrolling the area about the incident.

“Immediately, they chased the suspect with their bikes. After so much effort, they double-crossed him with their bikes.’’ the victim added.

He stated that, “At this point, he abandoned the bike and  tried to escape on foot, and then, with another motorcyclist, before he was arrested.”

The suspect, a father of three children, gave account on how he had been stealing bikes in states across the South-West.

“I started this crime about two years ago. There were two of us and we operated in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo states,” the suspect said.

“My accomplice, whose name is Ibijuwon, is currently serving a jail term in Kirikiri Prison. The day we went for the operation where he was arrested, it was around Lagos Island, I managed to escape with the stolen bike while he was arrested and subsequently taken to court where he was eventually sentenced to jail.”

He further explained:   “On this fateful day, I left Epe for Yaba. On getting to Yaba, I looked around to know how to start the day’s job there, but I couldn’t  find any motorcycle to steal around the area.

“Then, I decided to move to Ijora -Olopa with the hope of stealing any bike on sight. I contracted a commercial motorcycle from Yaba to Ijora,” he said.

“At Ijora, I saw this man (his victim) when he parked his bike outside and entered the canteen. I noticed that he had locked its steering. So, I quickly asked the rider who took me from Yaba that I wanted to alight to see my brother briefly in that area. Unknown to him, I had a sinister motive.

“I moved closer to the bike and broke its locked steering. Then I mounted it and zoomed off.”

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest of the suspect to Lagos Metro and added that efforts were on to arrest other members of his gang.

++++++++++++++++

“Meanwhile, I had abandoned the commercial rider who brought me to the area.  When I was on the bike, I thought I had escaped. Suddenly, I saw two RRS motorcycles pursuing me. I sped off, but I was so unlucky they caught up with me  despite the fact that I oversped. I attempted to escape by joining another motorcyclist, yet I was caught again, that was how I gave up,” he added.

In his confessional statement, he explained that he  had stolen no fewer than 20 motorcycles across South-West. “If I went to other states apart from Lagos to operate, I would ride the bike down to Lagos to sell here.”

“I have two receivers of these stolen bikes. One of them lives at Alamutu in Mushin, while the other is at Ijora.

The suspect also stated that he sold one motorcycle for N40,000 depending on how clean they looked.

The suspect, whose body was full of scars, noted that they were as a result of the injuries from his past criminal activities.

‘’All these scars on my body were inflicted on me by the mob  anytime I was caught stealing motorcycles. I am just an unrepentant thief, because I was supposed to have changed my way of life,” he said.

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest of the suspect to Lagos Metro and added that efforts were on to arrest other members of his gang.