4th April, 2012
A suspected bag snatcher Ahmed Are, 27, was arrested Wednesday at Alapere, Ketu, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
He was arrested by men of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Igbonla Zone led by Alhaji Saudi.
P.M.NEWS investigation revealed that the suspect had just dispossessed a victim of her bag, when she raised the alarm shouting “thief, thief”. Then kind Nigerians and OPC members in the neighbourhood gave the suspect a chase and arrested him. The bag was recovered with phones and the N1,200 inside it.
OPC men later handed the suspect to policemen from Alapare Police Division.
In his confessional statement, Ahmed Are said: “I reside at 18, Adamson, Street, Alapere, Ketu, Lagos. I am a motor spare parts dealer and apprentice in Owode Onirin.
“I was arrested at Demurin Street, Alapere at about 4.40 a.m today for snatching a bag containing phones and N1,200 cash.
“Though this is my first time of snatching a bag, I was not lured into snatching by anyone but because I was drunk. I consumed about five bottles of Madowel and Alomo Bitters which made me to lose my senses. I went to a night club where I begged for the drinks.”
The suspect said immediately he dropped off a commuter bus, he saw a lady coming behind him. He stopped her by shouting “stop there” and she was frightened and he snatched her bag and ran away.
But OPC members in Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development arrest him and took him to their base.
“My regret is that my wife has just delivered a baby and I needed money to take care of her and the baby. That was why I decided to go and snatch a bag to get money for the naming ceremony,” Are said.
Chairman, OPC Igbonla Zone, Alhaji Saudi said: “at about 4.40 a.m., we were roving round Demurin, when we heard a strange noise,” thief! thief!!
“I gathered my men and we went after the thief as he was running. We held him, somewhere along Yusuf Oyero Street, Ketu.
“Initially he denied snatching a bag but when we took him back to where he snatched the bag, the victim identified him to be the one who snatched her bag and we took him to our office where he confessed that he snatched the victim’s bag.”
The suspect is being detained at Alapere Police Division pending investigation and arraignment.
—Ayodeji Dedeigbo