Police arrest two brothers for robbery

While making confessional statements yesterday at the FSARS office in Ikeja, the suspects who were arrested recently claimed it was a four-man gang that operates with a Sienna bus.

On their modus operandi, the suspects said like public transporters, they call for passengers from Ikeja to Berger after which they spray a chemical, which makes the passengers to become unconscious of their environment. 

They then drive their victims to any quiet part where they rob them of their belongings, including ATM cards. 

It was gathered that the gang met their waterloo when they robbed a middle-aged woman (name withheld) on her way to work.

Her ATM card was stolen and N180,000 withdrawn from her account. 

Narrating how they joined the trade, the suspects said the promise to be paid N50,000 daily lured them to the act. 

According to Emeka, who also works as a driver at a company (name withheld) in Osborne, Victoria Island, “somebody called me to be his driver, he said he will be paying me N50,000 daily.

I called my brother who is a public transporter to tell him of the offer and we concluded it was not possible. 

“Along the line, my brother who drives from Ikeja to Secetariat Alausa stopped his job. He returned the bus he was using to the owner.

He said the amount the owner asked him to be remitting daily was too much. I reminded him of the offer but he said it looked suspicious. 

“After much thought, he agreed to give it a try.

I then met the person and asked him what we will be doing with the vehicle to be earning N50,000 daily.

At this point, he opened up to me that we will be picking passengers and then rob them, collect their ATM cards and withdraw money from their accounts.”  

The two brothers were arrested after the lady had made a formal complaint to the police.

The Commissioner of Pokice, CP Imohimi Edgal, had instantly directed FSARS to launch a manhunt of the suspects. 

Meanwhile, the chairman of the committee charged with reforming FSARS, South West Zone, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Adepoju Ilori, yesterday said any policeman to be posted to the unit in future would now be made to go through psychological test.

He also said FSARS officers would in future wear a new uniform that would distinguish them from other policemen serving in other units.

The committee was set up by the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, in compliance with presidential directives on the reform of FSARS.

DCP Ilori, who embarked on a tour of FSARS cell in Ikeja, Lagos, said the place was in line with police standards.

At the end of the tour, Ilori and his team who came from Abuja interviewed some of the suspects to ensure that only armed robbery and kidnap suspects were detained in the cell.

The chairman, however, directed the officer in charge of SARS, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Peter Gana, to expedite action towards ensuring that cases were concluded and charged to court on time.

Addressing newsmen, Ilori said the IGP constituted the committee to embark on a nationwide tour of all SARS detention facilities with immediate effect.

According to him, the committee is constituted with the directive to decongest the facilities and to also look into the activities of the unit and submit a comprehensive report.