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19 motorcyclists apprehended for attempting to set Lagos police station ablaze

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Retired Naval officer found dead in kidnappers’ hideout

Nineteen (19) motorcyclists have been apprehended and handed over to the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly plotting to burn down Ejigbo Police Station on Saturday.

A witness and resident who identified himself as Tunde told journalists that the commercial motorcyclists who were armed with dangerous ammunitions were charging towards the police station while he was relaxing outside his apartment.

He added that a friend had informed him that two of the motorcyclists’ colleagues had been knocked down by one of the police vehicles which prompted them to retaliate by damaging some vehicles at the station in the process.

He said:

“I was lounging outside when I suddenly saw hundreds of youths running towards the Ejigbo Police Station. They were chanting in Hausa. I did not understand what they were saying.

“I asked one of them, who is my friend, what had happened. He told me that some policemen knocked two motorcyclists down. He said they were going to retaliate.”

CSP Chike Oti, the state Police Public Relations who frowned at the attack, debunked allegations made by the motorcyclists, adding that the Lagos State Traffic Law officials only prohibited the movement of motorcycles after 10pm.

The PPRO stated, “The motorcyclists wilfully damaged two operational vehicles belonging to the Rapid Response Squad, Ikeja. The police did not shoot at any of them; they only fired tear gas canisters to disperse them. The police arrested 19 of them over attempts to burn down the station.

“The police on night guard saw some people approaching and became alert, wondering what such number of people was coming to do at the station.

“Few metres away, the mob started throwing missiles at the police station. The police resisted them from entering the compound by closing the gate. If the police had allowed them to overwhelm them, they would have burned down the station.

“In the process, they damaged two of our patrol vehicles parked outside the station. The DPO was able to organise a security team that repelled them using tear gas to avoid killing anybody.’’

Meanwhile in another development, the leader of a four-man fraud group, Osuji Chibuzor, 42, has been arrested by members of the Rapid Response Squad RRS for allegedly swindling a 34-year-old woman of N165,000.

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According to the RRS, the group was operating at Ikeja, Ojota, Ojodu Berger, Ogba, College Road and Agege, while their offices were located at 8 Afolabi Street, Iju Shaga and 7 Salami Street, Oko-Oba, Agege. They also revealed that the group lured their victims with fake dollar notes in order to ensnare them.

The suspect who identified names of his members, confessed that they drove to Ikeja, Ojota and Agege areas every day to lure unsuspicious members of the public to their two offices before tricking them into the dollar-making scam.

Chibuzor added that he would pray for the victims and request money for anointing oil, chemicals for the washing of the money among other charges.

“Although there are many other fraud gangs in Lagos independent of ours, it was only four of us who formed our gang. We operate in Agege, Ogba, College Road, Ojodu Berger, Ojota, Ikeja, Alausa and Ifako-Ijaiye.

“What I collected from the lady was N120,000. I know that my colleagues withdrew N45,000 from her account using her ATM card. I am ready to pay all the money back.”

The 34-year-old woman whose identify remained undisclosed said:

“We were still in Oregun when the driver picked up another passenger. It was at this point that they started playing tricks on me.

“I ended up in their office in Iju, where they collected all the money on me, including the one in my account. They made me swear to an oath never to inform anyone. Thereafter, Chibuzor requested that I should get another N60,000 to complete the ritual.

“After collecting N165,000, they still won’t let me rest. I borrowed N60,000, being the balance of what they needed. I was on the way to hand it over to them when I regained my consciousness.

“Luckily for me, with the assistance of a patrol team of the RRS, I was able to lure him (Chibuzor) out and got him arrested.”

Zubairu Mu’azu Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, ordered that the areas where the criminals operated be cleared immediately while the suspect and his members face charges.

By Todimu Ogunade…

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