Alerted by the arrest of three suspected armed robbers who allegedly robbed and attacked Divisional Police Officer CSP Tokunbo Abaniwonda in Alausa Ikeja with a machete, the Lagos State Police Command took swift action.
The confirmation of the arrests was made by the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Tuesday.
Recounting the event, Hundeyin mentioned that on a particular night, at around 11.00 p.m., officers from the Alausa division were conducting an operation at Otedola Bridge in Alausa Ikeja when a gang of three suspected armed robbers suddenly emerged from hiding. The armed individuals proceeded to attack the DPO Alausa with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
He elaborated that during the aggression, the suspects also managed to snatch Abaniwonda’s Samsung S22 phone before fleeing to an undisclosed location.
Following intelligence gathered on April 13 at approximately 10.00 a.m., it was revealed that the suspects were hiding at a hotel in the Akute area of Ajuwon Ogun. Acting on this information, the division’s anti-crime team swiftly moved to the location and apprehended a 29-year-old suspect known as “THUG LIFE,” believed to be the ringleader. Accompanying him was another 25-year-old suspect, both of whom were brought in for questioning along with the recovered items.
Further investigation disclosed that the suspects forcibly took the handset from the DPO after assaulting her with a machete. The diligent efforts of the authorities eventually led to the capture of the third 25-year-old suspect.
Hundeyin disclosed, “The ring leader has been involved in robbing on Otedola Bridge for the past five years, frequently changing his accomplices for different operations.”