Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two suspected members of a notorious ‘one chance’ robbery syndicate accused of robbing unsuspecting commuters in different parts of the state.
A statement issued by the command on Monday said the suspects were apprehended during a routine stop-and-search operation carried out along Iyana Ipaja Road, where police operatives intercepted a tricycle conveying three occupants for inspection.
During the search, one of the occupants was allegedly found in possession of three android phones suspected to have been stolen from victims of robbery operations carried out by the gang.
Police authorities said the tricycle rider suddenly fled the scene while the search was ongoing, abandoning the other occupants behind. One of the suspects was immediately arrested and later identified as Ademola Ibrahim.
According to the police, the suspect confessed during interrogation to being a member of a criminal gang which specialises in dispossessing unsuspecting passengers of their valuables, especially mobile phones, in areas including Idimu, Iyana-Ipaja, Egbeda and Dopemu.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a member of a robbery syndicate popularly known as “one chance” which specialises in dispossessing unsuspecting commuters of their valuables, particularly mobile phones, along Idimu, Iyana-Ipaja, Egbeda and Dopemu areas of the State,” the statement said.
Further investigation by operatives later led to the arrest of the fleeing tricycle rider, identified as Raheem Lawal, 26.
The police also recovered the operational tricycle allegedly used by the suspects to carry out their activities. The tricycle bears registration number SMK 309 QP.
The command disclosed that two victims who had earlier reported separate cases of one chance robbery along the same axis positively identified the suspects as members of the robbery gang.
The victims also identified the recovered phones as property stolen from them during previous robbery incidents.
Police authorities stated that investigation is ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate and bring them to justice.
The Lagos State Police Command reiterated its commitment to intelligence-driven policing, proactive crime prevention and sustained raids against criminal elements across the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, also reaffirmed the Command’s determination to tackle robbery and other violent crimes in Lagos.
He urged residents to remain vigilant, cooperate with officers during stop-and-search operations and continue to provide timely and credible information to security agencies through the Command’s emergency lines.
