RRS Nabs Three Robbery Suspects

Men of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, have arrested three suspected okada robbers in Ikorodu area of Lagos.

The suspects, Emmanuel Michael, 24, who rode on a motorcycle, in company of two other accomplices; Moses Ogeh, 27 and Ojonugwa Ojomeje, 29, were arrested in Ita-Maga area of Ikorodu after hijacking a motorbike popularly called ‘okada’ from a cyclist while impersonating police officers.

Two of the suspects: Ojomeje and Ogeh were caught in MOPOL vest and police vest and fez cap while trying to escape after collecting an ‘okada’ from a rider in Ikorodu.

The trio, operating on Michael’s ‘okada’ in the area, had around 10:00 p.m. accosted another ‘okada’ rider, stopped him and dispossessed him of his motorcycle. They were said to have told the owner that they were police officers from a nearby police station.

The victim on releasing the ‘okada’ to the robbers walked few steps away before crying out for help. This drew the attention of passers-by and the operatives of Rapid Response Squad in the area. They were chased and arrested few metres from the scene.

According to the Ojomeje, the leader of the gang, “ in July 2019, men in police uniform collected my ‘okada’ in Ikorodu Bus Stop. They told me they were Taskforce team from Ebute Police Station. They advised me to meet them there while they took the ‘okada’ away. It was after 10:00 p.m.

“I went from Ebute Police Station to Ijede, Mola and Ladigboye Police Post, there was no trace of them. It was my only means of livelihood. It was exactly a week I got the ‘okada’ on hired purchase at N280,000.

I paid only N40,000 with a balance of N240,000 to settle the owner, Chinedu. I searched for it in all the surrounding police stations but there was no record of it.