The Ogun State Police Command successfully thwarted a robbery attempt on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the Sagamu area on December 6, 2024, following a swift and coordinated response from a police surveillance team.....Click Here To Read Full Article >>
The dramatic turn of events led to the arrest of two suspects and the rescue of their intended victim, in what could have otherwise been a devastating crime.
The incident unfolded around 2:00 p.m. near the Danco Filling Station on the expressway, where the suspects’ vehicle, a Golf 3 car, was acting suspiciously, sparking the attention of patrolling officers. As the vehicle sped past, a voice from inside the car shouted, “Thief! Thief!” This immediate alarm drew the attention of nearby residents and the police surveillance team, ultimately leading to a pursuit and the disruption of the robbery attempt.
According to a detailed statement shared with PUNCH Metro, the suspects attempted to flee when their plan took a dramatic turn. The vehicle veered off the road, crashing into a gutter as the driver lost control.
The crash allowed the community to react quickly, with angry youths descending on the car and attacking the two occupants before police arrived to rescue the suspects from further harm.
The suspects, identified as 46-year-old Michael Adegoke and 35-year-old Kingsley Christopher, sustained serious injuries due to the mob’s intervention and were rushed to Live-Well Hospital in Ajaka Sagamu for medical treatment. Their injuries were a direct result of the community’s frustration with their attempted robbery.
It was revealed that the robbery had been meticulously planned to target Arubi Godwin, a 46-year-old POS operator, who had unknowingly boarded the suspects’ vehicle earlier that day.
Godwin was on his way to deposit ₦2.5 million at the bank when he joined the Golf 3 car, already occupied by four other passengers. What seemed like a routine journey quickly turned dangerous when the suspects revealed their true intentions, forcibly taking the money from Godwin and attempting to eject him from the moving vehicle.
In a desperate attempt to retain control of the situation, Godwin fought back, struggling with the driver for control of the steering wheel. The altercation caused the car to crash into the gutter, severely damaging the vehicle and preventing the robbery from being completed. As the car crashed, the suspects’ plans unraveled, and two of them were apprehended by the community and police while three others managed to flee the scene.
During interrogation, the arrested suspects, Adegoke and Christopher, confessed to being members of a notorious “one-chance” robbery syndicate that has been operating along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway for over five years. They admitted to targeting unsuspecting passengers traveling on commercial vehicles and robbing them at various points along the route. The suspects further revealed that the stolen vehicle had been severely damaged during the crash, making it unusable for their criminal operations.
Police spokesperson Omolola Odutola confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, and the case will be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Abeokuta for further investigation once preliminary inquiries are complete. The authorities are also working to identify the remaining suspects who managed to escape during the incident.
The Ogun State Police Command has urged members of the public to remain vigilant when boarding commercial vehicles, especially when traveling along high-risk routes like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. This incident highlights the importance of community awareness and the rapid response of security teams in thwarting criminal activities.
The swift action of the surveillance team, aided by the local community’s response, has been hailed as a significant victory in the fight against organized crime in the region. The Ogun State Police Command has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of road users and residents, and continues to work diligently to curb criminal activities in the state.
This case underscores the critical need for ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to tackle and dismantle criminal syndicates operating along Nigeria’s busy highways.
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