Ex-Okada Rider Arrested For Robbery Blames It On Lagos Traffic Laws

Ibrahim Shoheeb is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Yaba, Lagos, following his arrest by members of the Lagos State Neighborhood Watch at Oto Awori community.

The 24-year-old and two others reportedly attacked a customer who had gone to withdraw money from one of the second generation banks around Ojo area at the weekend.

Soheeb, and his accomplices, Yusuf Ahmed,35, Chinedu Okafor,28, reportedly positioned their motorbike opposite the bank and immediately they sighted their victim, report said they trailed him to Alaba International market and while the money he withdrew from the bank was snatched from him as he was about to board a bus. They zoomed off immediately on their motorbikes.

The suspects with some of the stolen items recovered
The suspects with some of the stolen items recovered

According to reports, the suspects ran into a hotel in Ojo community and got a room unaware that a motorist trailed the motorcycle and saw them entering into the hotel. The motorist alerted the leader of the vigilante group who coincidentally lives on the same street the hotel is located, and he made a quick move for their apprehension.

“I knew it would result to this but I did not know it will be this soon. The new Lagos State Traffic Law pushed me into this because I had my motorcycle seized by the Lagos state task force. I made efforts to get it back but to no avail,” Soheeb said in his statement.

“Since then, I have been feeding from hand to mouth. Do you know what it means for someone to beg before eating?

“Just when I was contemplating on what next to do, a member of the gang, Chinedu, introduced me into this. I hesitated at first. But when I went to beg him for money, he refused. Thus, I was tempted to join”, he stated

His accomplices also confessed to the crime, adding that they have been in the crime for three years. Driving their motorbike along routes where banks are located, and on sighting a customer leaving the bank, trail him/her to a convenient spot for robbery, was their way of operation.

How they recognised people who actually left the bank with money they say was simple; they revealed that for men, their pockets were usually bulky, while the women usually cling their bags in a suspicious way.

The sum of N50,000 snatched from their victim, was reportedly recovered while the gang was at the verge of sharing it.

It was learnt that the suspects upon arrest were handed over to policemen at Ajangbadi police division from where they were transferred to SCID.

Sources at the State CID confirmed their arrest, adding that they would be charged to court soon.