Three suspected armed robbers, who allegedly blocked drivers and took over two trucks at gun point, have been arrested by Osun State Police Command.
Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Olawale Olokode disclosed this during a press briefing on Saturday, June 16, 2021.
The suspects were identified as Moses Keffi (38), Odeyemi Oluwafemi (42) and Isah Lawal (28).
Giving details of the arrest, CP Olokode said that on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at about 4a.m., a gang of armed robbers, fully armed with guns and other weapons, stormed Osu/Ile-Ife Highway and attacked innocent motorists plying the road. He said that they also hijacked two trucks – an Iveco Truck with registration number DTM 113 AX, loaded with toiletries worth millions of Naira, and a DAF 75 Truck with registration number JJJ 445 XT – loaded with some empty sacks of cocoa beans, at gun point.
The police commissioner added that the victims were also robbed of their valuables, such as handsets and N30,000.
According to him, “the Joint Task Force (JTF) and police patrol team within the axis were quickly alerted, and they immediately swung into action, arresting the suspects.
“The two trucks were recovered with the contents intact, while the two handsets of the victims were also recovered.”
One of the suspects, Keffi, said he came from Lagos State to Lagere area of Ile-Ife to meet a man, known as Ibadan, whom he intended to buy a car from.
“I was surprised when he showed me a truck on a highway, asking whether I liked it. I replied him that I wanted a car, not a truck, and also wondered why I was to collect the truck from him on a highway, not in a hotel or residence.
“He called a man to drive the truck, and asked me to sit beside him. We were moving when we sighted police vehicles passing by us. We were stopped; I tried to run away but was caught,” Keffi explained.
Keffi said he didn’t know much about the man called Ibadan, his name or what he was doing as business, as he only told him he was into car sale.
Keffi disclosed that he was a bank staff until he was laid off during COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Another suspect, Oluwafemi, a driver, said he was called by Lawal after a journey to and from Ibadan.
“I parked at a filling station and was relaxing when Lawal called me that I should pick some people. I picked four of them and dropped them somewhere.
“I also picked Keffi. I didn’t know any of them except Lawal. I didn’t know the gang leader, Ibadan, or his number.
“At almost 4a.m., I was called again by Lawal to come with Keffi to pick others. I was wondering what was being done at such an odd hour.
“We were on the way when we were stopped by Joint Task Force. They collected two phones owned by the truck drivers, but given to me by Keffi. However, the cash found with me belongs to me,” Oluwafemi said.
The third suspect, Lawal, who lamented that he had yet to see Ibadan since he was arrested, said Oluwafemi was like his brother in his neighborhood, while he was not privy of Ibadan’s criminal plan. Lawal said he was a bricklayer and a farmer.
One of the truck drivers, who did not disclose his name, said that the robbery gang stopped them as they were driving on the highway, shouting ‘armed robbers, armed robbers.’
He added that the gang pursued them when they tried to escape from their onslaught, and started beating them.
“They also collected our phones and money,” he added.
Thenewsbearer learnt that the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department in Osogbo for further investigation.
