Lagos police arrest three suspected fraudsters
Nigerian police (Photo by Kola Sulaimon / AFP)
• Summon the officer who smashed the glass door of the motorist
• Arrest 17-year-old for returning to crime after two years
Officers of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command have arrested three suspects for defrauding unsuspecting persons by disguising them as drivers and passengers.
Spokesperson for the Command, Superintendent of Police (SP), Benjamin Hundeyin, said the trio were intercepted by operatives of the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), in Opebi, Ikeja, following a tip-off and handed over to the RRS.
The suspects are 52-year-old Dele Olawale, 45-year-old Remi Ogunleye and 40-year-old Kole Akintunjoye.
According to the police, the suspects reside in Ogun State but resume in Lagos daily to prey on unsuspecting passengers.
He said the gang, operating in a Volkswagen Golf, marked KRD 998 DE, acted like strangers to one another to disarm their victims.
They carry out their nefarious activities mostly in Lagos Island, Lekki and Ikoyi.
The Commander RRS, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Olayinka Egbeyemi, has since transferred the case to the State Headquarters for further investigations.
ALSO, the Command has summoned two officers attached to the Lagos State Taskforce, who was captured on video smashing the glass door of a motorist, Damilare Akinlabi.
The incident happened on Wednesday, June 17, 2022, at Palmgrove, Lagos.
Hundeyin said the Commander, Taskforce, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Shola Jejeloye has commenced investigations.
He said the motorist shouldn’t have allowed things to degenerate to the point of officers double-crossing him, thereby causing a major obstruction to other road users.
“Any person who in any manner obstructs or resists any public officer while engaged in the discharge or attempted discharge of the duties of his office under any order, act, law, or statute, or obstructs or resists any person while engaged in the discharge or attempted discharge of any duty imposed on him by order, act, law, or statute, is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for two years.
“There are calmer ways to approach these issues. Law enforcement officers are equally empowered to use minimal force to discharge their duties. No one will cow the law. Do not misconstrue this for me. I’m just laying down the necessary facts.
“A police officer will never employ unnecessary force or violence and will use only such force in the discharge of duty, as is reasonable in all circumstances. The use of force should be used only after discussion, negotiation and persuasion have been found to be inappropriate or ineffective. While the use of force is occasionally unavoidable, every police officer will refrain from unnecessary infliction of pain or suffering and will never engage in cruel, degrading or inhuman treatment of any person. Investigations have commenced. We will keep everyone updated.”
Hundeyin, who explained further said: “The driver missed an exit and started reversing on the highway. When accosted, he kept on reversing to evade arrest. At the Taskforce office, Alausa, alongside family members pleaded for his traffic offence to be waived while they equally forwent pressing charges.
“Nonetheless, the officers involved have first been grounded while subsequent disciplinary actions have commenced in earnest.”
MEANWHILE, the Command has confirmed the arrest of a 17-year-old boy after he broke into a home and cart away valuables.
He returned to crime two years after he was released from prison over cultism.
Also, Hundeyin has raised the alarm over rise in cases of suicide.
He said: “I’m not trying to be alarmist. But from the daily situation reports I peruse, I can confirm that the rate of suicide calls for concern. Pay attention to the mental health of the person next to you as well as yours. Depression is real.”
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