Tuesday 23 February 2016

I joined Area Boys after my brother sent me out – Traffic robber


Operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 apprehended Bayo Folayemi, 27, alleged to be a member of hoodlums terrorizing truck and lorry drivers along Apapa Expressway.

The suspect, who lives under the bridge in Mile 2 area, was arrested after his partner, now at large, removed a wallet from their victim’s pocket.
The victim, Chukwudi Odum, said that his articulated trailer, which carried container, broke down on the highway, and in the course of repairing it, the area boys appeared to demand for money. 

“The two area boys, including the suspect, suddenly appeared from nowhere to demand for money. I told them they should allow me to finish repairing the vehicle before giving them anything but they declined. 

They started to rough handle and dragged me here and there. One of them who was pulling me from behind, dipped hands into my back pocket and removed my wallet which contained N4,500 and ran away”, the victim explained. 

Odum added, “When I noticed that my wallet had been stolen, I held tight to the suspect who was still dragging me with my trousers, and then shouted for help.” 

RSS to the rescue

He continued: “Immediately, the RRS officers who were on patrol, arrived the scene and arrested him but the second guy had absconded with my wallet.” 

On arrival at RRS Headquarters at Alausa, the suspect confessed to the crime, saying that the forceful extortion from truck and lorry drivers was his only means of survival. 

The arrested suspect, who felt remorse during interrogation by the Police, said that his life dream was shattered after his blood brother sent him out of home. “My brother sent me out to cater for myself” 

According to him, “Although I learned rewiring profession, I could not finish the job because my brother who brought me to Lagos sent me out from his matrimonial home to cater for myself after his fourth child naming ceremony. 

Since then, things became difficult for me. I chose to join those area boys because I did not want to be a thief.” 

The suspect said that he never knew that his colleague had removed the wallet until the victim handed him over to the Police. “I was only demanding for a stipend from him because of hunger. I didn’t know his wallet was removed by the other guy. 

I only knew the guy in the Mile 2 area but we were not working together”, he narrated. The suspect has been transferred to Lagos State Task Force on Environment for necessary action.

No comments: