A suspected daredevil interstate armed robbery syndicate with specialty in car hijack has been dismantled by operatives of the Lagos Police Command.

The suspects, Taiwo Alabi, 42; Ogedengbe Lowis, 46; Ighodalo Enato Francis, 37, and Osaro Eghe Abiodun, 34, were arrested across four States-Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Edo- by crack detectives who trailed their activities following an operation in Lagos.

The Nation gathered that one of the suspects was in a popular church in Benin City, and the other one, an Uber driver in Lagos whose wife had a baby barely two months ago.

The driver, who admitted to knowing his passengers were armed robbers, told detectives they carried the firearms in a suitcase and opened it when they were ready to strike.

He said the suspects paid him N500,000 for one night, alleging it was the only time he followed them.

The driver was apprehended in Lagos and he led detectives to Godwill Street, Idowu Egba in Isheri-Igando Road, where detectives recovered exhibits including a semi-automatic Pump Action with breech no: 000565; An English pistol; 48 9mm ammunition, 46 live cartridges, one cutlass and criminal charms.

The police also recovered two Lexus ES350, a Toyota Sienna and one Corolla vehicles from the gang.

Addressing journalists at the Igando residence of the gang, Lagos Commissioner of Police (CP) Olohundare Jimoh, said their arrest followed a car theft they carried out in Lagos last month.

He said two of the suspects entered a private car owned by a civil servant who decided to pick up passengers after work to augment his fuel money.

Unknown to the motorist, the two men he picked up around Lekki/Ajah were armed robbers who attacked him once they got to an isolated area.

“So, we are sending this for members of the public to be assured that the Nigeria Police Force has the capacity to protect every Nigerian throughout the length and breadth of this country.

“This is what we have exemplified in the successes recorded by the Lagos State Police Command.

“The tactical commander that you see with me here is making a lot of successes in terms of violent crime prevention, and apprehension of those who engage in the act.

“I want to use this opportunity to admonish Lagosians to stop using their private vehicles to pick up passengers. It is a dangerous thing to do because you do not know who the person you want to carry for a fee is.

“It is better to park your vehicle when you do not have fuel money than to use it to pick up people you don’t know on the road. That’s the modus operandi this gang deployed in Lagos but they were caught.

“Let me also appeal to residents to always provide information to the police. You can see where this house is located. It is not hidden or isolated. It is sandwiched among buildings and even in the compound, there are other tenants. So, our people need to help us secure them better by providing information about suspicious persons or activities so that the police can investigate.

One of the vehicles recovered by the police was snatched from the owner between the Lagos-Ogun border. The victim who couldn’t contain his joy, thanked the police for recovering his vehicle.

He explained that he was attacked on September 7, while driving towards Alagbado.

“It was around past 9pm and I stopped to get something. Less than 30 seconds after I stopped, someone banged my door and said I should wind down. So, I asked why? And the next thing I saw he had a pump gun.

“Out of fear, I opened the door and there was another guy on the other side who had a pistol.

“They both jumped into my car, collected my three phones, jewelry and other items in the car. Then they told me they were going with my car, that I should come down and face the wall.

“When they told me to face the wall, I was afraid they wanted to shoot me and so I fled through the opposite direction. They left with the car, a Lexus and I reported to the police. I did not pay anything to the police. No money was requested from me. I am very thankful to the police especially the tactical squad for their intervention,” he said. (The Nation)