The police in Lagos have arrested two members of a car robbery gang, who specialise in robbing Uber riders and private motorists in the state.
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The suspects were arrested last Tuesday at Igando, by operatives attached to the Commissioner of Police (CP) Special Crack Squad. They are George Nnadi Ogidi 34 and Rafiu Jaiyesimi 27.

The Guardian learnt that Ogidi had been arrested several times by the police and sent to prison. But on each conviction, his lawyer would always bring him out and he would be back to his criminal enterprise more viciously.

He was tracked and arrested by operatives after a Toyota Camry car, snatched from an unnamed Uber driver and sold to a ready buyer at Sango Otta was discovered to be stolen.

Upon interrogation, it was discovered that he had just been released from the prison two weeks ago.
Police sources said he was arrested with Rafiu Jaiyesimi at a hideout in Igando area of the state.

Speaking on his arrest, the Ihiala, Anambra State born secondary school dropout said: “I think God wants to punish me for all the atrocities I have committed. I have been to Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre, but the first time I was sent there, I didn’t commit the offence for which I was arrested and arraigned by the police.

“I was walking home at about 11:00p.m. around Governor’s Road, Ikotun, when some police officers stopped me and asked where I was coming from.
“I told them that I was a bus conductor but they shouted at me and threw me behind their van, three days after I was brought out and taken to the court for armed robbery. I spent two years in Kirikiri before I was released.
“It was in the cell in Kirikiri that I formed the gang of car snatchers. We are five in number. Normally, if we want to snatch a car, we call an Uber driver and take a look at the make of car he is driving, if it is Toy ota, we will accept the ride because Toyota is a hot cake.

“One of us would have gone to a nearby eatery to buy snacks and poison one of the drinks that we will give to the driver. When we pick our member at the eatery, we will present him to the driver as a friend, and as he sits with us, we will offer the driver a drink and a meat pie as well .
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“Immediately he sips the drink, he will start feeling weak and dizzy. When we notice this, we will help him pull over, take over the steering and drive off. On the way we will drop him and find our way.

“That had been our modus operandi. Again, sometimes, we enter any eatery, sit by the door to monitor the kind of cars parked there, one of us has master keys with which we use in stealing the car. On the whole, I think we have stolen 24 cars and sold them.”

He added: “I have a car which I bought from the proceeds of our enterprise. I also have money kept in case police arrest me and refuse me bail, my lawyer would use it to bring me out from prison .

“I had said I would not do this job again when I came out from prison about two weeks ago. I told myself that I would start a petty business, look for one girl, marry and settle down, but it was Lekan that said we should do just one and stop and now see where I am again.”

Corroborating, Jaiyesimi, 27, from Ilaro in Ogun State, begged for forgiveness because they had all resolved to stop snatching cars and turn a new leaf before their arrest.

He said: “I trained as a vulcaniser. I had done freedom but there was no money to buy a machine that was why I joined the gang of pickpockets in Oshodi.

“I was arrested and sent to Kirikiri where I met Ogidi (Nnadi). When we came out, we still had our numbers. So, we were contacting each other and eventually, we formed a gang of car snatchers. “Please I want the government to have mercy on us because we will not go back to crime again if we are forgiven.”

Meanwhile, a police source said investigations are ongoing, while a manhunt for another gang member continues.
“The suspects will have their day in court at the conclusion of investigations,” the source said.
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