5 Robbery Suspects Held

Men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested five robbery suspects in an Indian hemp joint near Olosha bus stop, Mushin Lagos.

A source told P.M.NEWS that the suspects were arrested with one locally-made pistol, 25 wraps of Indian hemp and a wallet.

One of the suspects said always he rents the gun to the others for N1,500 anytime they had an operation.

The suspect said in his confessional statement to the police that he does not go out with the others to rob but was only their armourer.

Another suspect also claimed to be a cobbler. He said his friend has a gun but he does not know what he is doing with it. When quizzed, one of the suspects said he is a barber but he needed money to pay bills in the hospital where his pregnant wife was on admission. Since he had no money, he decided to rent out his gun.

Another cobbler and a teenager who resides at Ojuwoye Market area of Mushin.

He denied going on any robbery operation with the other suspects. He admitted that his friend always stills motorcycle. He said that after stealing a bike, he would remove the spare parts and sell them as scraps. His share in any deal, he said, is always N5,000.

Another suspect denied being an armed robber or a member of the gang but admitted selling Indian hemp at the joint the suspects were arrested.

A source at SARS confirmed to P.M.NEWS that the suspects were arrested based on a tip-off that armed robbers meet at the joint to plan their operations.

“The suspects would be arraigned as soon as police investigation are concluded,” the source further said.

—Ayodeji Dedeigbo