Police Arrest 26 Suspects, Recover 1501 Stolen Generators, Others

Operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), yesterday paraded a total of 26 armed robbery suspects and their accomplices, recovered a truck load of 1501 generators which were hijacked by the suspects and other stolen items.

The suspects who were arrested from different operations    include,  Lukman Adenekan, Moses Ozowe , Jide Ishola , and Temitope Isiaka, Kuburat Ayinde, Fatimoh Abolakale, Alhaja Muyinat Ogattan , Yetunde Adekunle and Lekan Ibrahim. Others include Abba Mustapha, Abdullai Mustapha , Michael Oloruntoke, Ibrahim Aga, Tobi Adenuga and Shile Ganiyu.

The parade which took place at the FSARS office in Lagos, saw goods worth over N30 million recovered from different raids on criminal hideouts in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states.

While parading the suspects, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the unit, DCP Chris Ejike, said the FSARS would live up to its duty of making life unbearable for criminals in the country.

He said, "On February 20, 2014 , a 40 feet container on a Mack Truck with the Registration No XT 737 SMK , loaded with generating sets  valued at N13, 600, 000, driven by one Abass Mustapha , enroute Alaba International Market, Lagos disappeared into thin air.

"Unknown to the owner of the goods, Messrs Domicado Nig Ltd of 22 Randle Crescent Apapa,  the driver conspired with his gang of hijackers and converted the goods to an unknown destination .

"The emptied container and truck was later recovered after it was abandoned along the Lagos - Ibadan Expressway by officials of FSARS , Lagos Annex , who were on the trail of the perpetuators of the act.

" Determined at tracking down the culprits and recovering the drained off goods , detectives from the squad using scientific aid, trailed the driver to a hideout and apprehended him."

He added, "The driver confessed to have connived with others to divert the goods and so far led to the arrest of some members of the syndicate , consequent upon which a total of 1501 unit out of 1530  generating sets were recovered."

In another development, the unit had also arrested one Tobi , a resident of 1 Estate Road , Adenuga Iberekodo Badagry , Lagos State and Shile Ganiyu of Itoko area of Abeokuta, who both confessed to stealing vehicles .

The DCP said the suspects were arrested at their hideout in Atan area of Ogun State with a locally - made pistol and two live cartridges and they confessed to several armed robbery escapades and led detectives to arrest other members of the gang.

Although the police recovered  a blue Toyota Camry with  Abuja number plate ABC551JR, the gang confessed to have ferried most of their stolen vehicles to Ghana and other West African countries .

Also, policemen from the unit trailed another syndicate of scoundrel receivers of stolen goods to Ebutte area of Lagos and they all confessed  to working in connivance with one Uche, a notorious goods hijacker at Eko and Carter bridge.

He said the police were able to recover cartons of shoes, toys, clothes, school bags, female foot wears, children' s wears, towels, food flasks and glass cups.