Ogun: Ilupeju, Sango-Otta Divisions Arrest 5 Suspected Armed Robbers

From Felix Mordi

Five suspected armed robbers have been nabbed by Ilupeju and Sango-Otta divisions in Ogun State, in three robbery incidents.

Ilupeju, with higher incidents of two and three arrests, recorded its success stories on 18 and 24 April, 2021, while that of Sango-Otta Division took place on April 17.

Parading the suspects before news men at the state Police headquarters at Eleweran, Abeokuta on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, the state Commissioner of Police, Edward Awolowo Ajogun, began with a case in Ilupeju, where, on April 18, his detectives in that division received a distress call from one Ajao Moses that, while he was coming back from his farm at Agbagi village, on his motorcycle, four armed men suddenly emerged from the bush with cutlasses and sticks. The hoodlums attacked, knocked him down from his motorcycle and robbed him of the₦50,000 in his possession.

“Upon receipt of the distress call, the DPO swiftly mobilized his patrol team, alongside some other stakeholders, to the scene, where one Altine Muhammed was arrested, after a thorough combing of the bush. The victim identified Altine as one of his attackers. Others are being trailed” Oyeyemi stated

Again, on April 24, at about 7:30am, the DPO Ilupeju Division received a distress call that the POS shop of one Rafiat Wahab (f) was being attacked by some hoodlums.

The DPO and his team quickly mobilized to the scene, where one of the hoodlums, later identified as Ogunnaike Phillips, 26, was traced and arrested outside the scene.

On interrogation, he confessed that one Isaiah Onifade gave him information about the victim three days prior to the attack.

Upon this revelation, the said Isaiah Onifade, 22, was also traced and apprehended, from whom the victim’s handbag, containing the sum of two hundred and thirty-eight thousand, eight hundred and fifty naira, N238, 850, 00, one cutlass, a POS machine were recovered.

The Sango-Otta case, according to the Commissioner of Police, took place on April 17, at about 9:30pm.

The DPO, CSP Godwin Idehai, received a distress call that armed robbers had invaded the shop of one Nonso Nwibo, a rice seller, and robbed him of one hundred and twenty thousand naira(₦120,000:00) and his Techno handset at gun point, in Anisere area of Sango

“Upon the distress call, the DPO moved into the scene with his men. But on sighting the policemen, the robbers took to their heels. They were hotly chased, and one of them was apprehended with a locally made pistol, while the second one escaped. Following diligent investigation, he was later traced to their hideout at Owode-Ijako and arrested”

Recovered from the suspects, Hassan Gbenga Sodiq, 20 and Qudus Rasaq, 20 were a locally-made pistol, a live cartridge, two phones (an Itel and iPhone).

The CP was delighted over the breakthroughs and expressed it in his belief that no single tree can make a forest; he said: “I want to thank the entire officers and men of the Command, including our ever dependable Tactical teams of Anti-kidnapping and Anti-cultism, who contributed immensely to these achievements. I salute your courage and diligence in handling the cases.

The successes also illustrate the fact that the Command’s response time to distress calls has improved tremendously, and that we are demonstrating more perseverance, courage and professional skills in handling heinous crimes, especially kidnap cases.

“I also appreciate other critical stakeholders, that is, sister security agencies, including the State’s SO-SAFE, the hunters, vigilantes, and OPC members for their collaboration. Also, we have continued to enjoy the assistance and support of His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun. The logistics made available from time to time and his ceaseless words of encouragements are continually spurring us on. The Command cannot thank the IGP Usman Alkali Baba enough. He has been a pillar of support, as he constantly monitors the Command, providing needed leadership in ensuring crime is reduced in the State.

“Once again, the general public is reminded that security is everybody’s business. Therefore, promptly report crime to the police, and adhere strictly to the security tips provided by the Command from time to time. These tips will again be published by the State PRO, including the telephone numbers to be called when in distress.

I want to urge that we should maintain close contact with our Area Commanders and DPOs, attend weekly security meetings with them, where you will help to review the security situations in your areas, and make suggestions on improvement on our strategies and modes of operations, while at the same time also assisting the Command with useful information”, the CP concluded