RRS Arrests Robber During House-To-House Robbery, Others Flee With Money (Photo)

The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command said its operatives arrested one Abdullahi Olanrewaju, 30, a suspected armed robber over the weekend in Agege.
Olarewaju who is a suspected member of an Eight-man robbery gang, was apprehended during their operations at Abeje and Onibeju Streets, off Capitol Road in Agege Local Government area of the state.
The operatives noted that one of the resident, who was lucky to escape through the window, alerted the RRS team in the area that armed men were operating in their building.
The Police met a stiff resistance as they approach the building. But the swift response from the RRS operatives, who were on patrol routine in the area, led to the arrest one of them while others made away with two pump action guns, a sum of N549,500 and other valuables.
The suspect, who hails from Ita-Amoju in Kwara State, confessed that they went to the operation with four pump action guns and Jack knives in case of any security operatives intercept them.
“We went for that operation with bullet loaded four pump action guns. We had planned our movements for that night. We had intention to rob all the houses on the two streets, but luck ran out on us as we were able to visit only five buildings before the arrival of RRS operatives. We collected a lot of money, mobile phones and jewellery to mention a few.”
“When we sighted the police approaching, we had no choice than to shoot them. We opened fire on them and they retaliated immediately. But when we noticed that we were about to run out of bullets, we decided to take to our heels. Unfortunately for me, while other managed to escape, the police arrested me because I was unable to join the waiting vehicle,” he revealed.
“If I had known I would not have followed them that night. It was my first time of going out with them. I didn’t know they were into robbery but when I discovered the kind of business they wanted to introduce to me, it was too late for me to reject, they also threatened to kill me if I expose them,” the suspect regretted.
However, one of the residents alleged that the arrested suspect led the other members of his gang to their house. According to him, “That was the man who pointed gun at everyone of us threatening to shoot us if we fail to cooperate with them. They had to destroy my door room with sledge hammer before they could enter my room.”
Another victim who lives on Onibeju Street, confirmed the allegation that the suspect led his colleagues to their building. “It was a bad midnight for all of us. In fact, he hit one of our neighbors with the pump action. The man in question has been hospitalized receiving treatment,” he added.
The victims of the five buildings they visited on Ibeje and Onibeju streets, besieged RRS’ headquarters to identify the suspect as the gang leader who threatened to waste their lives.
“When I did the calculation, the fleeing robbers had escaped with amount of N549,500 collected from all of us with other valuables,” one of the victims said.
The items recovered from the arrested suspect were one cut-to-size pump action, Jack Knife, two laptops, 14 handsets, wrist watch and Two Thousand and Six Hundred Naira (2,600).
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmus, noted that the suspect is helping the Police with investigation in order to arrest the fleeing robbers