Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Police Command, have arrested a 24-year-old motorcyclist, Emmanuel Michael, and two others for robbery and impersonation.
Michael, allegedly in possession of his in-laws police crested vest and fez cap, was arrested alongside Moses Ogeh (27) and Ojonugwa Ojomoje (29) for hijacking a motorcycle, popularly known as okada, from its owner in Ita-Maga area of Ikorodu.
Ogeh and Ojomeje were also said to be in possession of mobile police vest, police vest and fez cap, while trying to escape after collecting the said okada.
The police said the suspects, operating on Michael’s okada in the area, had around 10:00 p.m. accosted another rider, stopped him and dispossessed him of his motorcycle. They were said to have told the owner that they were police officers from a nearby police station.
The victim then walked few steps away before crying out for help, drawing the attention of passers-by and RRS operatives in the area before the trio were chased and arrested few metres from the scene.
According to the Ojomeje, the leader of the gang, “ In July 2019, men in police uniform collected my okada in Ikorodu Bus Stop. They told me they were Taskforce Team from Ebute Police Station. They advised me to meet them there while they took the okada away. It was after 10:00 p.m.
”I went from Ebute Police Station to Ijede, Mola and Ladigboye Police Post, there was no trace of them. It was my only means of livelihood. It was exactly a week I got the okada on hired purchase at N280,000.
”I paid only N40,000 with a balance of N240,000 to settle the owner, Chinedu. I searched for it in all the surrounding police stations but there was no record of it.
”In order to pay the balance because Chinedu couldn’t take the excuse, I borrowed my friends bike, and bit by bit, I paid another N40,000. Because the owner was deeply on my neck with the payment, I sought the assistance of my friend to help me hijack another okada.”
On how he got the police vest, he said: “I had a MOPOL vest at home thrown away by a former neighbour in Obalende. I appealed to Michael to lend me his sister’s husband police uniform. The plan was to get a motor bike for me and later on, I would pay them too after I might have finished paying my debt.
”While I put on the MOPOL vest, Ogeh, a food stuff seller put on the police vest and fez cap.”
But Michael and Ogeh stated that they were charmed and made to take an oath by their ring leader. They said they were offered kolanut to eat after Ojomeje had promised them a successful outing.
Police sources however said that Michael’s in-law whose police vest and fez cap were used for the operation was outside the state at the time of the incident.
The suspects have since been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
Reacting to the development, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Muazu Zubairu, stated that the police would not relent in its efforts to bring impersonators who give the force bad name to book.