The operatives of the newly established Local Joint Task Force in Ikorodu division, on Sunday, April 3, 2022, continued their onslaught on criminal elements in the division, as they apprehended two armed robbers with fake AK47 guns while attempting to dispossess a resident of his motorbike, money and phone, at gunpoint.
While one of the suspects was nabbed at the scene of the crime, his accomplice, who initially escaped with the motorcycle, was later arrested on Monday, April 4.
The suspects are Kelvin Obinna, a 21 year-old native of Idemili South, Anambra State and graduate of Ignatus Ajuli University, Port Harcourt, who came to Ikorodu in 2021, and Promise Ujo, a 24 year-old native of Mile 3, Port Harcourt , Rivers State and a graduate of Electronics and Electrical Engineering from the Rivers State University.
The two suspects, who reside at the First Gate, LASPOTECH (now LASUSTECH), Ikorodu, reportedly set out on their criminal mission with the fake AK47 gun made by Kelvin and hidden under the muslim flowing gown, popularly known as ‘Jalamia’, worn by Promise.
They also had cutlass and knife in their possession as they set out to Oriokuta in Ikorodu West LCDA, for the operation.
One of the suspects confessed that they wished to sell the bike if they had succeeded in their operation.
According to the report gathered, at around 10.30pm, precious waved down their unsuspecting victim, one Alfa Tajudeen Sulaimon who was carrying a female passenger, but he told him that he would be back.
When the bike man returned as promised, Promise held on to his bike and asked him to come down while his partner in crime, Kelvin, stepped out from nowhere with his fake gun and also ordered Alfa Tajudeen to come down from his motorbike.
At that point, their victim, who said that he was overwhelmed with fears, stepped down from the bike as ordered.
He was then dispossessed of his phone and about N10, 000 cash on him, while Promise rode the bike as they made their escape from the scene.
Upon their arrest, the criminals were said to have recognized their victim at the IDPIL/GTE/LJTF Office in Ikorodu.
But luck ran out of them when the victim recovered from the shock and waved down another commercial motorcycle rider whom he narrated his ordeal to. On hearing that, the rider ran after the robbers shouting ‘ole’ and this drew the attention of residents of the area who also joined in chasing the thieves.
The Okada man that was chasing the suspects, we gathered, caught up with them and used his bike to push them away from the stolen bike.
While Kelvin was unable to get up, Precious quickly rose, got back on the bike and escaped while the victim and other residents caught up with his partner and subjected him to serious beating.
It was at this point that men of the LJTF that have been deployed at strategic locations came in and arrested the robber before he would be killed by the angry mob.
The intelligence arm of the LJTF was said to have immediately set out to apprehend the other suspect that was on the run before he would sell the stolen bike and leave the town.
The intelligence gathered by the personnel of the LJTF paid off as they got a hint that Promise had returned to their First Gate home to pick some of his things and they quickly swooped on him and got him arrested.
The motorbike was also retrieved from him.
Alfa Tajudeen, who is an Arabic teacher, speaking to our reporter at the LJTF office in Ikorodu, said that he got the motorbike on a hire purchase arrangement to fend for himself and family, since he runs his Arabic school free of charge.
“During this Ramadan fasting, I do not have the opportunity of using the motorbike again for commercial purposes because I have to lead prayers as an Imam. It was one of my customers that called me to come and pick him”, he said.
“After dropping him, I saw a woman who pleaded that I should carry her and I did. It was after droping the woman that I returned to the robbers and asked them where they were going but they did not answer and this prompted me to move closer to them.
“When I moved closer, one of them (Promise) immediately held me down while the other (Kelvin), whom I did not see initially, showed up from the back and pointed a gun at me and collected my handset and about N10,000 that was on me”.
He said that he was then ordered not to move until they had left the scene.
Meanwhile, the suspects, who were interrogated at the LJTF headquarters by the Commandant, Akogun Lanre Olabinjo, Secretary, Olalekan Rado Pelumi, and others, said that the operation was their first and pleaded for forgiveness.