Woman overpowers okada thief at Ikoyi

Paul Iyoghojie

An attempt by a suspected motorcycle thief to rob a woman identified as Linda Ishaku of her phone and money at Ikoyi, Lagos, southwest Nigeria has been foiled by the gallant victim as she reportedly pounced on her suspect, disarmed him of his knife and held him while putting a call to the DPO in charge of Ikoyi Division, SP Tijani Mustapha who dispatched a team to the scene to arrest the suspect.

Also taken along with the thief identified as Haruna Buba from Adamawa state to the station were his operational motocycle and the knife seized from him by the victim.

The incident according to the police occurred on 11 April, 2016 at about 6:00 am at Rumen Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos while the victim was going to work.

During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to the crime and begged the police for forgiveness with a promise that he will not commit crime again.

After investigation by Sgt Ijatuyi Tope and his team, the suspect was arraigned before an Igbosere magistrates’ court, Lagos on a two count charge of felony to wit and armed robbery.

Police prosecutor, Sgt Oladejo Balogun told the court that the incident occurred when the accused riding on a motorcycle at Ikoyi, an area where motorcycles were banned accosted his victim in the early hours of the day armed with a knife at a lonely spot at Rumen street, Ikoyi, Lagos ordering her to surrender her phone and money.

Balogun said the brave victim pretended and opened her bag, as if she was bringing out the items demanded by the suspect and suddenly she hit his hand hard and the knife the suspect pointed at her fell off his hand.

He said the victim engaged the suspect in a fight, wrestled him to the ground and held him down and put a call to the police who arrived at the scene to arrest the suspect, taking him, his bike, knife to the station.

Balogun said the offences the accused committed are punishable under sections 295(2)(b) and 295(1) of the criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The plea of the accused was not taken, and the presiding magistrate,Mr H.O.A Amos ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody pending an advice from the office of the Director of public prosecution, DPP on the matter.

Amos adjourned the case to 17 May, 2016 for mention.