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Tag: RRS

  • RRS arrests suspected robbers

    RRS arrests suspected robbers

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested a suspected armed robber, Nurudeen Kazeem, 27, alias Onyabo, who allegedly injured a policeman in April.

    He was alleged to have killed two persons along Lasu-Igando Road in the past.

    Kazeem, said to be an executioner in Eiye confraternity, was arrested last Wednesday together with Wilfred Ehis, 30, the gang’s alleged armourer, Yusuph Bello, 33, and its rider, Sunday Hassan, 26.

    Kazeem was said to have shot his victims in an attempt to dispossess a delivery man, who brought some phones he (Kazeem) ordered online.

    The suspect, who claimed to be a trained tailor, was said to have shot the policeman twice on the leg to evade arrest.

    A statement by RRS quoted Kazeem as saying: “I have killed two people in the past. One was to complement my initiation into Eiye Confraternity. I was led to a beer parlour in LASU/Iyana-Iba axis, where I was asked to kill a man.

    “I shot the guy there and I escaped. The second guy I shot, I also macheted him. He was a member of Aye (Black Axe) confraternity in LASU/Iyana-Iba area.

    “I and a friend were forcefully initiated into Eiye cult. We were asked by some guys to use our motorcycle to take them to a naming. Those guys changed the route after bringing out guns to scare us and led us into a bush where other innocent young men were to be initiated into the confraternity.

    “In the bush, they beat us mercilessly. That was how we were initiated. Since then, they armed me with gun and cartridges to kill people, particularly, rival cult members. It was while doing this that I was invited into robbery by Cali (Wilfred Ehis).

    “He invited me to assist him in collecting phones from delivery men. He would order the phones online, give them delivery address and we would ambush the delivery man and collect the phones at gun point.

    “I have done this three times for Cali. I took the phones to him in the hotels he stayed. The first operation, he gave me N60,000. The second, he gave me N50,000 and the third, N45,000. The fourth one was the one I shot the police officer.”

    Ehis, in whose possession a short gun was recovered, police sources said had been arrested in April for his involvement in various armed robberies.

    The suspect, the police said, usually lodged in different hotels in the area with his gang members.

    According to the police, all the suspects have been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Sqaud (FSARS), Ikeja for further investigation.

  • RRS nabs suspected Uber taxi thief

    RRS nabs suspected Uber taxi thief

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested a member of a syndicate that hires and steals Uber Taxi in Lagos.

    Emmanuel John Ugbomah, 37, from Ndokwa, Delta State, was arrested in Oshodi Oke early hours of Friday while trying to escape after a botched attempt to snatch, a black Toyota Corrolla, 2009 model belonging to one Adebisi.

    In a statement yesterday, RRS said the suspect and two others boarded Adebisi’s Uber taxi in Lekki. They told him they were going to Oshodi and he charged them N4,000. But on getting to Ikoyi, they told him to head to Dolphin Estate in order to pick a female friend.

    RRS quoted Adebisi as saying: “Two of them came down from the vehicle and some minutes later they were back saying that their female friend was not going to join them and that I should keep driving to Oshodi-Oke.

    “When I was about to climb the Oshodi-Oke Bridge, one of them grabbed me from the back seat, another closed my mouth with his hand. A gun-like object was pointed at my head and they were shouting that I should come down and come to the back seat.

    “Immediately I unbuckled the seat belt and opened the door, I saw some RRS policemen at the front. I screamed robbers! Robbers!! and ran towards them.

    They immediately swung into action after I explained to them that my car was about to be stolen. They ran towards the direction of my car. They apprehended one but two escaped.”

    The victim claimed that he lost his Tecno C8 phone and N80,000 cash.

    He identified Ugbomah as one of the suspects.

    The suspect claimed he is an automobile mechanic. He said he was on his way to Oshodi from Lekki where he went to fix a customer’s vehicle when he was arrested by RRS at some minutes past midnight.

    Some charms, a master key and a pistol shaped device were recovered from him.

    The suspect has been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Ikeja.

  • RRS arrests ‘fake’ policeman

    RRS arrests ‘fake’ policeman

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Operatives have arrested a 47-year-old man, Gregory Anyasodo, for alleged impersonation and extortion.
    The suspect was arrested at Oshodi after he allegedly stole N125,000 from a trader, Mrs Emmanuella Joseph.
    Mrs Joseph was said to have approached the RRS to complain about the suspect’s threat to arrest her and his alleged seizure of her handbag containing N125,000. He was said to have posed as a police officer to commit the act.
    The graphic artist, who designed police identity card for Anyasodo and owner of the business centre, where he works, were also arrested. They have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence (SCIID) at Panti, Yaba.
    A walkie-talkie and a police identity card were recovered from Anyasodo.
    The identity card was said to have portrayed him as an inspector attached to Lagos Task Force and Special Anti-Robbery Squad with number 14873.
    A statement by RRS yesterday said the suspect had confessed to the crime, but denied stealing the victim’s money.
    He said he collected the victim’s bag, adding that he has been impersonating the police since December last year.
    RRS quoted him as saying: “I have been in the trade since December 2016. I came to Lagos before Christmas in preparation for The Lord’s Chosen convention which was held in February, 2017 at Ijesha.
    “My early coming for the programme was for me to seize that opportunity to look for job. When I couldn’t get a job, I ventured into impersonating the police.
    “I have been arrested six times in Owerri for impersonation. I have impersonated West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) officials. I have been arrested thrice by Shell Camp police, Owerri for impersonation.
    “I am a father of six. I left my wife and children when I was coming to Lagos. I have been sleeping in hotels since I got to Lagos.
    “Occasionally, people allow me to sleep on the balconies and corridors of their homes after I convinced them that am a stranger. I make between N10,000 and N15, 000 daily parading myself as a police officer and extorting many from innocent people.”
    The suspect said he usually showed his identity card to traders and threatened them that he would invite his colleagues if they did not settle him.
    “I am sorry, I have not sent a dime to my wife in Owerri to take care of the six children I left with her but occasionally, I call her. I thought of impersonating police because it would fetch me more money,” Anyasodo said.

  • RRS arrests alleged impersonator, extortionist

    Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested a 47-year-old man, Gregory Anyasodo, for allegedly impersonating the police and extorting people.

    The suspect was arrested at Oshodi on Thursday after he allegedly stole N125,000 from a trader, Mrs. Emmanuella Joseph.

    Mrs. Joseph was said to have approached RRS officials at Oshodi to report alleged threat by the suspect to arrest her and the seizure of her handbag containing N125,000.

    Also arrested were the graphic artist, who designed police identity card for Anyasodo and the owner of the business centre, all of whom have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence (SCIID) Department, Panti, Yaba.

    According to the police, Anyasodo was arrested during a search of the area, following the compliant of the woman.

    Recovered from the suspect were walkie-talkie and police identity card.

    The identity card was said to have portrayed him as an Inspector attached to Lagos Taskforce and Special Anti-Robbery Squad with number 14873.

    The suspect was said to have confessed to the crime, but denied stealing the victim’s money.

    He admitted to the police that he collected the victim’s bag, adding that he has been impersonating the police since December last year.

    He said: “I have been in the trade since December 2016. I came to Lagos before Christmas in preparation for The Lord’s Chosen convention in Lagos, which was held in February, 2017 at Ijesha.

    “My early coming for the programme was for me to seize that opportunity to look for job. When I couldn’t get a job, I ventured into police impersonation.

    “I have been arrested six times in Owerri for impersonation. I have impersonated WAEC and JAMB officials. I have been arrested thrice by Shell Camp police, Owerri for impersonation.

    “I am a father of six. I left my wife and children when I was coming to Lagos. I have been sleeping in hotels since I got to Lagos.

    “Occasionally, people allow me to sleep on the balconies and corridors of their homes after I convinced them that am a stranger. I make between N10,000 to N15, 000 daily parading myself as a police officer and extorting innocent people.”

     

  • Man’s leg falls into lagoon in Third Mainland bridge accident

    Man’s leg falls into lagoon in Third Mainland bridge accident

    A passenger on Sunday morning lost his limb in an accident between a red Toyota and a Danfo bus on Third Mainland Bridge. His severed leg fell into the Lagoon.
    The victim, a passenger in the danfo bus was seating in the front when the accident happened.
    His limb was reported to have been entangled within crash barriers on the.bridge before eventually falling into the lagoon.
    RRS riders and monitors at the scene subsequently called for emergency unit to help recover the missing leg.
    Recovery effort by the Marine Police and a team of RRS officials is on, while the man has been moved to Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos.
    The vehicles have been moved by LASEMA Response Unit to avoid congestion.

  • RRS arrests seminar, conference thief

    RRS arrests seminar, conference thief

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested a man who specialises in stealing the laptops and properties of conference and seminar participants in Lagos.

    Ikemefuna Aje, 47, was arrested last Wednesday by the operatives after he gate-crashed into a seminar organised for Internet brand managers at a hotel in GRA, Ikeja. He made away with five MacBooks, one HP computer and some personal effects of the workshop participants.

    Ikemufuna, who was captured on the CCTV camera at the venue of the event, drove in and headed straight into the seminar room when the participants went for launch.

    The suspect, who was corporately dressed, wore a participant’s tag before making away with the items.

    He allegedly took the stolen items to the Computer Village, Ikeja and sold five Mac Books and HP computer to Saliu Ibraheem for N1,110,000.

    RRS operatives traced him to 5, Tony Street, Ejigbo, Lagos where he was hosting his church members in a house fellowship.

    Recovered from his house were the 4Runner Toyota, marked KRD 701 DC, which he drove into the seminar venue, a master key, Zinox laptop, several computer bags, computer and tablet accessories, seminar materials and N700,000 cash.

    A representative of the seminar organisers, who did not want her name in print, said: “We were shocked to see participants bringing up issues of missing laptops and computer accessories after returning from lunch.

    “The seminar was not advertised online neither in any national newspapers. How did this suspect get to know of the event and managed to come at the exact time participants about a hundred participants were having lunch.”

    According to RRS, Ikemefuna has scouts, who furnish him with information on conferences and seminars.

    The suspect was quoted to have said that the seminar was one of the many he invaded and made away with participants’ valuables.

    The suspect, initially denied the crime, but confessed when he saw the CCTV footages. He then allegedly led the operatives to Computer Village to arrest the buyer.

    RRS quoted Ibrahim as saying: “I have known Ikemefuna for more than seven years. He brought five Mac Books and one HP to my shop that he bought them in South Africa. I bought them for N1, 110,000 and I resold it immediately for N1, 250,000. The money was transferred into my account immediately.”

    The operatives said it had recovered all the stolen laptops.

    Police spokesperson Olarinde Famous Cole, an Assistant Superintendent (ASP) said the suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) at Panti, Yaba, Lagos Mainland.

  • RRS arrests three fleeing kidnappers

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested three persons who fled Ibadan for Lagos after allegedly collecting N3million ransom on a kidnapped woman.

    Funsho Adekunle, 31, Charles Ezeilo, 32, and Obioha Nnaji were nabbed in Abule Egba.

    The police in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, on discovering that the kidnappers were heading to Lagos with the victim’s Toyota Highlander, radioed their Lagos counterparts for assistance.

    On receiving the radio signal, RRS operatives tracked the vehicle to the Shrine, a night club in Ikeja, from where the suspects were said to have moved it to Abule Egba.

    At Abule Egba, the RRS arrested Ezeilo before recovering the 2005 Toyota Highlander model marked LND 954 EE.

    Ezeilo led the police to arrest another Adekunle and Nnaji  at the Shrine, but another suspect simply identified as Theophilus is at large.

    Adekunle, a fashion designer around Felele, Ibadan, where the kidnapping is believed to have taken place, told RRS: “Theophilus handed over the car to me in Ibadan and told me to look for a buyer. I brought the car to Lagos because I know that I would get a buyer quickly for the car. The instruction from him was that I sell the Highlander at N800, 000”.

    “I got a buyer in Ondo State. He has bought a car from me before, a fairly clean Toyota Corolla. He bought it for N550, 000. I took the car to him on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, where he paid me before moving the car away.

    “Charles is my friend of over five years. We met at Redeemed Church, Ogba, where I was a chorister. I gave him the car to help me warehouse it for me to get a buyer. He took the car from me at the Shrine to his house in Abule Egba.”

    The case has been taken up by Oyo State Anti-kidnapping team for further investigations.

  • RRS smashes highway robbery syndicate

    RRS smashes highway robbery syndicate

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have smashed a 12-man syndicate which specialises in hijacking trucks and tankers.

    The gang was arrested following its botched attempt to kill an escort, Tunji Ajayi, aboard a tanker laden with 45,000 litres of diesel on February 1.

    It was alleged that the gang hijacked a truck conveying 410 bags of Dangote flour, which was diverted last week to Sagamu in Ogun State and sold to Rabiu Bello, who is now in police custody.

    A statement by RRS yesterday said the syndicate allegedly contracted Gbenga Akinboyewa, 33, and Obinna Ofunue, 29, to work with the truck driver, whose name was simply given as Amara, to kill Ajayi.

    The trio were said to have hit the escort, who works for an oil firm, on the head with hammer, threw him inside a ditch, and diverted the diesel tanker marked ENU751XH.

    The hired killers were said to have been promised N800, 000 for the job.

    According to RRS, the tanker was loaded at Optima Depot in Koko, Warri, Delta State but was hijacked in Ondo State on its way to Sango in Ogun State.

    Also in RRS net are Sadiku Ganiu, Oluchukwu Onyema and Gbenga Aliyu.

    According to the RRS, the syndicate leader, Chibueze Nnamdi, a building material dealer in Ore, Ondo State, identified others as Edwin Ozor and Shedrack.

    It quoted Nnamdi as saying: “I invited Akinboyewa into the deal. I briefed him and he in turn invited Ofunue. The instruction we gave them was to tie the hands and legs of the escort and hide him somewhere so that within an hour, we would have closed the deal before he could set himself free. I didn’t say they should kill him. Biggy (Ozor) and I raised N800,000 to settle the boys, lodge them in a hotel, feed them and take care of other emergencies in the course of the job. We promised Akinbiyewa N500, 000 for his own aspect of the job.

    “When we were in control of the truck, we drove to Ijebu Ode, where we discharged 2,800litres. We proceeded to Lagos and offloaded 19,200 litres in one station, 14,000 litres in another and 8,400 litres in the last filling station.”

    Besides, 10 others, it was learnt, have been caught in Ondo, Edo, Lagos and Ogun states for receiving stolen items from the hijackers.

    The complainant, Mrs Nafisat Osinowo, according to RRS, said the diesel was to be delivered at her firm in Sango.

    She said: “Our representative escorting the truck called me in the afternoon when they got to Benin that the tyre of the truck was not good. He called again at 11pm that the truck has been parked in Ore.

    “It is our tradition not to travel at night. Our discussion was that they proceed on the journey at 5am the next day. That was the last time we spoke. Efforts to get him the following day proved abortive until few days later when we were called that he was in intensive care unit at the hospital”.

    Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), said the suspects would be charged after investigation.

    The suspects, she said, had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, (SCID) Panti.

  • RRS operatives arrest suspected fraudsters

    RRS operatives arrest suspected fraudsters

    Men of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested a man, who is alleged to be the kingpin of a syndicate that specialises in defrauding people.

    Segun Akintola, popularly known as Okadigbo, was apprehended by the RRS Decoy Team in his shrine at Ijora over his involvement in a fraud.

    The syndicate duped a woman in Ikorodu last year.

    Preliminary investigation conducted by RRS showed that Okadigbo is the arrow head of different syndicates of fraudsters operating in  Lagos and some parts of Ogun states.

    Until his arrest, four of his accomplices earlier arrested by the operatives of RRS had given him out as their ring–leader.

    The operatives were reported to have been on the lookout for him since last year.

    Okadigbo confessed to RRS that he is a fraudster, but denied being the syndicate leader.

    He told the operatives that he pretended to be an herb seller to deceive his victims.

    RRS quoted him as saying: “It is true they used my shrine. They bring their victims but everybody operated on their own.

    “Although, the fake dollar they use is mine but I don’t know anything about their operation. I operated by selling herbs to people looking for children. I do spiritual bath for clients and defraud them.”

    A gang member, Christian Odokor, in his confessional statement said: “We robbed a woman about a year ago. We took all she had including N300,000 cash and recharge cards of all networks worth N120,000. Okadigbo is our master.

    “All of us, about nine groups that I know report to him. We operated in different parts of the state. He is so powerful and fiery that no policeman dare arrest him. Now, I was shocked seeing him here with us in your custody.”

    Another member of the team, Toyin Idebi, said greed made her joined the gang two years ago.

    Idebi said: “I was a stylist and doing well before I joined them. I like how they were spending money on women. Initially, they were reluctant to tell me their nature of their job. They just told me they were into export and import business. Later, one of them opened up and I joined them”.

    “My main job was to act as someone who was carrying foreign currencies who didn’t know her destination. Though, those currencies were fake but I didn’t know how Okadigbo got them.”

    Recounting her ordeal, the victim said, Joy, said: “A woman flagged me down last Wednesday on my way to market. When I saw the woman sitting and calling passengers I never thought otherwise. Immediately I hopped in and sat down beside her. I saw three other men inside the car.

    “Suddenly as we were progressing, the woman begged me to help her with my phone to make calls. She said   she had no call card on hers. She made two separate calls. As we moved on, the driver detoured to an unknown destination.

    “I asked the driver where he was taken me to, he didn’t respond. Suddenly, he pulled over in the middle of the way and pointed a gun at me. The woman showed me knife. They ransacked my bag and removed the whole money with the recharge cards and sped off.”

    Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmus, a Superintendent (SP), said the command will not rest on its oars until it rids the state of bad elements and reduce the criminal activities.

    The suspects, she said, have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.

  • RRS apprehends fleeing boy, 14

    RRS apprehends fleeing boy, 14

    A 14-year old boy, Israel Solomon, who fled his parent’s home in Jos, Plateau State was yesterday evening rescued by operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) at Ojota, Lagos.
    Solomon, a Birom by tribe, was seen wandering Ojota Bus Stop, when the operatives call him for questioning.
    He said his parents live in Mango Junction, Opposite Gada Biyu, Jos.
    He could not give reasons why he ran away from home. All entreaties to make him give reasons for his actions proved abortive.
    Solomon said the bus conveying him from Jos got to Lagos late at Sunday evening, adding that he passed the night sleeping under the bridge at the Ojodu Berger Bus Stop.
    He explained that he was trekking from Ojodu Berger to Ojota when the officer cited him wandering, saying that he knew no relatives in Lagos before embarking on the journey.
    A source said checks on his body did not betray any evidence of physical abuse. He also couldn’t give the phone contact of his parents or any of his relatives based in Jos.
    Solomon has been taken to Olusosun Police Station, behind Phillip, Ojota by the RRS Team.
    The source disclosed that he would be taken from there to a station where radio signal would be raised to the closest police station to his house in Jos.