Lagos Police trail robbers who hypnotise victims in commercial buses

The Lagos State Police Command, on Friday said it was on the trail of some suspected criminals using handkerchief containing some substances to hypnotise people before robbing them of their valuables.

The command’s spokesman, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while reacting to the command’s efforts to curb the criminal activity.

“The Lagos police are on the same page with the state government in fighting crime and criminality. We have devised strategies to check the suspected criminals.

“We want people in Lagos to be security conscious and be at alert, particularly in commercial vehicles.

“Members of the public should report suspected persons to the police.

“Transporters are advised to check this trend among their members and routes of operations,’’ Nwosu advised.

NAN recalls that the state government on Wednesday alerted residents on a new dimension of criminal activities in parts of the state perpetrated by men of the underworld.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, Mr Habib Aruna, said in a statement that unscrupulous persons rendered their victims unconscious by rubbing a handkerchief treated with chemical on their faces.

The chemical when inhaled sends the person who inhaled it to sleep.

The statement alerted that the bandits usually targeted unsuspecting victims either in a lonely commuter bus, taxi or a quiet corner.

Igando axis in Alimosho Local Government Area was mentioned as one of the areas where this new crime dimension has become pronounced in recent times.