Legionnaire nabbed for stealing

Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a legionnaire impersonating official of the Lagos State Task force on Special Offenses to rob motorcycle riders popularly called "okada" in Agege and its environs.

 Umam Hermid, a Lieutenant of the Nigerian Legion, Lagos State Command, from Borno state was arrested on Friday evening around 10:30 p.m. by RRS security operatives in Agege after dispossessing one Amin Al–Hassan of his motorcycle.

 Hermid with his accomplice, Tijani Bashir, who is now at large, had accosted their victim, Al–Hassan, at Total Filling Station, Agege and told him that they were policemen attached to the Lagos State Task force on Special Offenses. They told their victim that they were impounding his motor cycle for plying restricted area and for operating at prohibited hour.

Bewildered, Al–Hassan began to plead for negotiation but Hermid, the ring leader told him to bring N20, 000:00 but Al–Hassan could only produce N5, 000:00, an amount the Hermid rejected.

“When he refused to accept the N5, 000:00, he mounted the bike and rode it towards Iyana Ipaja. I begged him but he told me to get down from the bike because I sat behind him while his partner rode the bike that they came with. ‎He rode through Agbotikuyo road, Agege.  When we got to Mulero, I forced the bike to a stop by removing its key from the ignition, and I got down. 

"We were arguing when two passers-by joined us and they requested for his identity card when he told them that he was a policeman with the Lagos State Task force. Reluctantly, he flashed his ID card before them but one of them was so swift to snatch it from him. Then, he began to chase the guy, who quickly ran towards RRS patrol team nearby.  That was when he was arrested him and the dagger he was holding was also collected from him". Al- Hassan narrated. 

At the RRS headquarters, three other victims from whom Hermid and his accomplice had collected motorcycles weeks before he was caught on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 came with particulars of their bikes, alleging that Hermid, along with an accomplice, whose description fitted that of Tijani Bashir, took their bikes.

The victims, Shuaib Abdullahi, Umaru Hassan and Salisu Umaru stated that the suspects collected their motorcycles in a spate of three weeks, and that one of his victims was shot at a close range in the cheek at Shoretire Street, Agege.

One of the victims, Shuaib Abdullahi explained that the arrested suspect at around 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday August 17, 2016 took his bike, FKJ 259 QA, Boxer model, from him under the pretext that he was taking him to Task force Office.

"He drove me to Ile–Zik before threatening me to get down or he would kill me at the deserted place. I requested for his number and he gave me a fake number. I called the number immediately he left but the number didn't go. I got imformation about his arrest and that is why we have come to RRS to collect our okada from him", Abdullahi said.

The suspect however, didn't deny the allegations of the three other victims when they confronted him.

Speaking on the development, the Police PPRO, SP, Dolapo Badmos confirmed the arrest of the suspect, stressing that his arrest might help shed more light on reported cases of motor cycles theft in Agege and its environs.
The suspect has been transferred to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for further investigations.