The operatives of the Lagos State Task Force nabbed 2 ‘one-chance’ operatives and impounded thier commercial (volkswagen) bus along Mile 2, Lagos.
The Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force SP Olayinka Egbeyemi disclosed that these 2 ‘one-chance’ operatives were nabbed along with thier painted commercial (volkswagen) bus with registration No ‘EPE 165 XS’.
SP Egbeyemi disclosed further that these 2 notorious ‘one-chance’ operatives specialised in picking passengers with thier painted commercial bus and dispossessed them of thier valuables such as phones, wallets and jewelleries.
“Immediately a victim reported that he was robbed inside a painted commercial (volkswagen) bus, Task Force enforcement team with KAI officials chased them and they were apprehended along Mile 2 area with 50 different stolen mobile phones.
He said with the directive of the court these recovered stolen phones were returned to respective owner on ‘Bond’ after a thorough screening.
The Chairman enjoined members of the public to always report any illegal and criminal activities around them to relevant law enforcement agency of the State.
He however confirmed that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Mr. Fatai Owoseni has directed that these 2 arrested ‘one-chance’ operatives be immediately charge to court.
2 arrested ‘one-chance’ operatives Mr. Chuckwudi Ezeudo of No. 1, Ezeudo Lane, off Babarin street, Ajegunle and Mr. Wilfred Ukpo of No. 1, Ajose Street, Ajegunle, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos confessed to have been using painted commercial (Volkswagen) bus to robbed innocent citizens around Lagos.
They confessed further that they operated at different parts of the state which includes Oshodi, Obalende, Orile, Pen-cinema, Ojota etc every day and that any passenger who refused to cooperate with them were beaten and threw out of thier commercial bus on speed.
“We have been in this business for long and we snatched/stole more than 50 phones and other items daily which we sold as fairly used at Computer village and Ajegunle”
One of the victim whose mobile phone (Alcatel Pop Star 5) was snatched Mr. Ajimati Adeyemi (33yrs) said he joined the painted commercial bus with other passengers going to Mile 2 when the conductor and one other person who dressed in ‘black suite’ suddenly stood up and collected all thier phones and wallets before they were dropped at different bus-stops before Mile 2, Lagos.
“I was surprised when I called my mobile line and I was told to come to Lagos State Task Force at Bolade, Oshodi where it was returned to me along with others”
Another victim Mr. Ozor Phillip (39yrs) who identified and testified inside court against these 2 notorious ‘one-chance’ operatives said he was robbed off his mobile phone (Techno W2) at Arena chopping complex, Bolade, Oshodi.
A female victim Mrs. Yewande Adeboye who claimed to have been seriously injured after she was pushed off by the conductor of this ‘one-chance’ operatives said the coductor nearly raped her before her mobile phone was snatched from her at Rainbow Bus-stop along Mile 2, Lagos.
Meanwhile, these 2 ‘one-chance’ operatives have been individually sentenced to 7 years jailed term concurrently after they both pleaded guilty to the one count charged levelled against them for ‘Conspiracy to stealing and committed an offence contrary to section 409 of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2011’.
Magistrate Lateef Owolabi of the Lagos State Mobile Court at Oshodi said the 7 years jailed term without option of fine was to serve as deterrent to others who were still into this illegal and criminal activities within the society.
Magistrate Owolabi said all recovered snatched/stolen phones be given back to individual owner on bond.
He however confiscated the painted commercial (Volkswagen) bus with registration No (EPE 165 XS) to the Lagos State Government.
