Nemesis has caught up with a 25-year-old armed robbery suspect currently cooling off in the detention of operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command.
Paul Bassey was apprehended last weekend, shortly after he had snatched a car, with a toy gun along Lekki – Epe expressway, Ajah, Lagos.
The suspect, a traffic robber, who is a native of Akwa Ibom State, was arrested by policemen on patrol after he had successfully dispossessed the owner of a saloon car, with registration number, HB 96 AAA (Lagos) and all his belongings after threatening him with a toy gun.
According to an officer attached to the RRS; “We were on routine patrol duty when we suddenly sighted a vehicle on high speed coming behind us. The said vehicle overtook us and its driver forcefully opened the door and started shouting for help.
“Immediately, we gave the car a hot chase, which led to the arrest of a young guy, later identified as Paul Bassey, threatening to snuff life out of the driver if he stops the vehicle.
“We had to radio other police officers around the axis to lay ambush ahead for the vehicle. But on getting to Lekki – Epe Expressway, our men there had positioned and manned the road and the suspected criminal had no choice than to surrender to the officers. This is how we were able to intercept and arrest him.”
On arrival at the RRS Headquarters in Alausa, the suspect confessed to the crime, saying that he was a lone operator, operating along the Lekki – Epe expressway axis to snatch cars and rob innocent members of the public with a toy gun.
“I devised the tactics of stopping private car drivers and seeking for a free ride (lift). Once I hopped in to the car, I would point the iron-made gun at their foreheads and subject them to my control. If they cooperate with me, I will only collect their belongings and let them go. But if they drag with me, I will hit them with my stainless toy gun. I operate very early in the morning and late at night, because they won’t know that I was using fake gun to threaten them”, confessed the 25-year-old suspect.
Disclosing how he got the toy gun, he said: “I picked the stainless object from the ground, which I later carved as a gun. I took it to a spray painter workshop along Ajah Road and it was made real. I realised that I can be using the object, which is originally meant to spray vehicle to rob unsuspecting members of the public early in the morning and late in the night, because it really looks like a gun.”
The victim, Mr. David Oriakhi, who also followed the suspect to the RRS’s Headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja said he regretted offering a stranger a lift.
While explaining his ordeals to the police, the victim said, “I left my boss’ place in the morning, hoping to get to my house before 7a.m. The suspect waved at me at VGC Roundabout and as a Good Samaritan, I decided to give him a lift. On getting inside the car, he pointed a gun at me, asking me to surrender my belongings to him, which I did. But to my greatest surprise, he asked me to turn back at VGC Roundabout and head towards Epe.
“At this point I got apprehensive, but at the same time, looking for necessary help that could come my way. When I turned towards Lekki-Epe Expressway, on getting to Ajah Roundabout, I sighted stationary RRS officers on duty, then and I decided to ram my vehicle into them and shouted for help.
“This was how they chased after us and the vehicle was intercepted and suspect arrested eventually”, said David.
The victim said that the car was giving to him as Christmas gift by his employer, after 13 years of working with him.
“This car is a miracle vehicle for me. It was my boss who gave me as a gift for being a committed staff, and sincere with him”, he added.
Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police (SP), confirmed the arrest, adding that the police would continue to work round the clock to reduce crime in the state.
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