Friday, November 29, 2024 -Ismail Akinlade, one of four suspected traffic robbers arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit, also known as the Lagos Task Force, has revealed that he used the proceeds from their crimes to fund drug use and gambling.
Akinlade, who was arrested alongside the trio of Rasak Abiodun, Adefabi
Gbolahan, and Rilwan Olaloye, narrated this to the task force operatives during
an interrogation session.
The spokesperson for the task force, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, disclosed
this in a statement obtained by Punc Metro on Wednesday.
According to Abdulraheem, the suspects who specialised in robbing
motorists, often took advantage of the ensuing gridlocks to distract their
victims and depose them of their belongings.
He added that they were however arrested in the Mushin area of the state
after a stolen phone was traced to their hideout.
The spokesperson said, ‘The Lagos
State Taskforce has apprehended four suspected traffic robbers who specialise
in robbing motorists of their belongings inside traffic gridlocks during rush
hour.
“The suspects, Ismail Akinlade (26), Rasak
Abiodun (25), Adefabi Gbolahan (25), and Rilwan Olaloye (20), were apprehended
in Mushin after a series of investigations led officers to their hideout.
“These individuals reportedly target
distracted motorists, stealing phones, bags, and other valuables from vehicles
while distracting the occupants. Following a series of manhunts and
intelligence gathering, officers of the agency traced a stolen phone to the
Idi-Oro area in Mushin where the suspects were apprehended.”
He quoted one of the suspects as saying that after they had robbed
motorists, they deposited the items to their leader who then proceeded to sell
them on their behalf and gave returns to them.
Abdulraheem stressed further that the suspect also confessed that the
proceeds he and other members of the gang received from the sales of the item
were expended on drugs and gambling.
“Whenever I steal, I give the phone to
Number One (now at large) at Mushin, who handles selling our loot. After a
while, we return for the cash proceeds, which we spend on drugs and
gambling,” he was quoted.
He added, “Ismail also revealed that
they exploited bad portions of roads to carry out their attacks, preying on
motorists who were forced to slow down due to the poor road conditions.
“They have all been interrogated and will
be charged to court immediately. I urge others still engaging in such crimes in
traffic to cease immediately or risk the same fate as the arrested four,” the statement
warned.
According to Punch, the task force arrested no fewer than 53 street
urchins and miscreants suspected to be drug peddlers during a raid of their
hideouts on Tuesday.
The raid was carried out in the Gowon Estate, Egbeda and some parts of
Alimosho Local Government Area of the state, it was stated.
Abdulraheem revealed that items suspected to be hard drugs were also recovered
during the raid.
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