17th August, 2011
A suspected three-man gang that specialises in snatching commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada from the riders across Lagos State was arrested by members of Odu’a People’s Congress (OPC) in Ikotun over the weekend.
The names of the men were given as Ezekiel, 26, Ismaila,27 and Emmanuel, 18.
P.M.NEWS gathered that Ismaila and Emmanuel were arrested on Saturday night during an operation on Ijegun Road while Ezekiel who is said to be the leader of the gang was arrested on Sunday night when he came to join other members of the gang for an operation scheduled to for the night.
Ezekiel, a welder, told P.M.NEWS that he is from Ejigbo, Osun State, Southwest, Nigeria, and that when his welding business was no longer flourishing he joined the gang with base at Ibeshe, Ikorodu. He revealed that any motorcycle stolen at Ikotun is taken to Ikorodu or Oshogbo, for disposal.
He said they have been into the business for over one year and that they have snatched more than four motorcycles. He said they paid N10,000, for each of the four guns they use for their operation.
During their arrest, four locally made guns, knife, saw blade, iron cutter, powdery substance and a mask were recovered from them.
Mr. Akeem Salami, one of the OPC leaders that arrested the gang members said they are worried about the activities of armed robbers in the area, adding that the suspects were arrested, following information given to them by one of their victims.
According to him,â€the activities of the robbers are becoming too worrisome and it would do the state more good if the police would cooperate with us in fishing out these criminals and ensure that those arrested are prosecuted so that peace can reign in the state.â€
He appealed to the police authority in the state to work with the group in its efforts to curb the activities of the armed robbers in the state.
The suspects have been handed over to the police at Ikotun, a police source confirmed.
—Paul Sanusi