Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a gang of robbers for allegedly stealing phones from prostitutes in Ogun State and selling the valuables to sex workers in Lagos.
The two suspects – Semiu Obanla , 35 , and David Edet , 32 – were arrested in a hotel at Abule Egba , Lagos, after a stolen phone was tracked to where they lodged.
The suspects , who were both married with children, allegedly confessed to the crime in their statements to the police .
Obanla said, “ David and I met at a site in Ikorodu where we worked as casual workers before extending the working relationship to friendship . Aside from working at construction sites , I also work at the Idi -Iroko border where I assist smugglers .
“ Sometime in February 2018 , I reconnected with David . I invited him to work at the border after his attempt to raise money through yahoo-yahoo
(Internet fraud ) failed.
“ We agreed to start stealing phones and valuables from our lovers and prostitutes because we usually visit brothels daily for sexual pleasure after work .
“ That night , after drinking at a bar in the Atan area of Ogun State , Edet and I proceeded to negotiate with prostitutes for sexual pleasure. Before approaching them , we planned to steal their valuables .
“ The plan was successful . We had two unsuspecting prostitutes who believed we were good customers, but didn’ t know our motives. We agreed for N 5, 000 for a night for each of the prostitutes. We paid N 3 , 000 for lodging overnight at a nearby motel , which we used regularly . ”
He added that around 3 am , Edet sneaked into his room and stole his (Obanla ) phone and that of the sex worker in order not to raise any suspicion.
The suspect said they sold the phone to another sexual worker in Abule Egba , Lagos, for N 20 , 000 and shared the proceeds.
Obanla said sometime in April , he met a lady on a bus while travelling with his accomplice from Atan to Idi-Iroko, Ogun State .
“ I spoke to the lady and invited her to our regular drinking bar .
“ As usual, Edet and I planned how to steal the lady ’ s mobile phone and flee the scene . When the lady arrived at the bar where we were waiting for her , Edet and I sat separately to avoid being seen together.
“ I purposely used the lady ’ s phone till the battery was low. I offered to help her charge the phone inside the bar . She agreed and released it to me
.
“ I kept the phone in my pocket and walked out to tell her that I was helping her to charge it. I then pretended I was receiving calls and stepped outside the bar from where I fled on a motorcycle and Edet followed me .
“ We proceeded to the Abule Egba brothel to sell the phone as usual . We sold the phone to a sex worker. It was there that RRS officers tracked the phone to us and arrested us , ” he said.
The police said they recovered two phones from the suspects.
The state Police Public Relations Officer , SP Chike Oti , said the men had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba .
He warned Lagosians to be cautious of criminals who pretend to be helpers , adding that the command would continue to hound criminals in the state.
Source: PUNCH .
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