11th February, 2023
Paul Iyoghojie
The Police at the Ebute-Ero Division, Lagos Island of the Lagos State Police Command, Southwest, Nigeria have arrested a suspected handset snatcher, Bashiru Saka, 20, who had allegedly been snatching handsets from road users atop the Carter Bridge, Idumota, Lagos Island for a long time.
Saka was charged before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court for allegedly snatching a handset from complainant Sahabi Abdullahi.
Police alleged that nemesis caught up with the defendant on 21 January 2023 when the defendant and his accomplices now at large attacked the complainant, Sahabi Abdulahi at about 11 PM atop the Carter Bridge, Lagos Island and robbed him of his Infinix phone valued at N35,000 and a cash sum of N25,000, all total N60,000 and escaped.
Police alleged that following the incident, the complainant reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Ebute-Ero Division, Idumota, Lagos Island, CSP Ademola Oyunyamoju who swiftly despatched his crack team led Usman Abdul to fish out the suspects anywhere they might be hiding.
The Police team, through tracking, succeeded in arresting the defendant at a hideout while others managed to escape.
Saka of no fixed address was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a two-count charge of stealing.
Police Counsel, Ajaga Agboko told the Court that the defendant and others still at large committed the offence on 21 January 2023, at about 11 PM atop the Carter Bridge, Idumota, Lagos Island, Lagos.
Agboko informed the Court that the defendant and others still at large attacked the complainant atop the Carter Bridge, Idumota, Lagos Island and robbed him of his phone and money, all valued at N60,000 and fled before the defendant was arrested through tracking at a hideout on Lagos Island.
He said the offences, the defendant committed were punishable under sessions 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate T.A Idowu granted him N5,000 bail with one surety in like sum.
Idowu adjourned the case till 2 March 2023 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he perfected the bail conditions.