Residents of Ikeja heaved a sigh of relief on Monday as operatives of the Lagos State Police Command recorded a major breakthrough against the menace of “one chance” robbery syndicates.
The officers, attached to the Ikeja Division, intercepted a gang of three suspected robbers along Agege Motor Road after responding to a distress call raised by a victim inside their minibus.
The suspects, identified as 53-year-old Bode Oludayisin, 22-year-old Michael Sowunmi, and 20-year-old David Olawaye, were arrested on the spot before they could escape.
Oludayisin, police sources revealed, is no stranger to law enforcement. He is described as a notorious kingpin long linked to violent “one chance” robberies that have terrorized commuters across Lagos for months.
The gang’s operational vehicle — an unregistered commercial minibus, popularly known as Korope — was seized by the police. Officers say it was cleverly disguised to look like a regular public transport vehicle.
Items recovered from the suspects paint a grim picture of their tactics. Among them were an axe, two concrete interlock bricks, heavy stones, a broken bottle, and a victim’s Tecno Spark 20 smartphone.
Investigators believe these crude weapons were regularly used to intimidate and assault passengers during their operations, making resistance almost impossible for their unsuspecting victims.
Police findings suggest that the syndicate often picked up commuters from hotspots like Oshodi, only to divert them to isolated routes. Once there, passengers were robbed under threats of violence and, in many cases, physical attacks.
A senior police officer familiar with the case described the gang as “specialists in fear.” He explained that the combination of weapons and sudden diversions often left victims too shocked to resist or call for help.
Monday’s arrest, however, proved different. The victim, whose courage the police commended, raised an alarm loudly enough to alert officers who were patrolling nearby.
That swift action, police say, prevented what could have become another brutal robbery and ensured the arrest of the wanted kingpin.
The case has since been handed over to the Command’s Special Squad 1, tasked with tracking down other members of the gang who fled and dismantling the wider criminal network.
Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, hailed the patrol team for their bravery and urged Lagosians to remain vigilant, especially when boarding unmarked or suspicious vehicles.
He also reiterated the need for public cooperation, stressing that residents must speak up quickly when they sense danger. “Report suspicious vehicles immediately. Together, we can shut down these gangs before they strike,” he said.
For emergencies, the police command reminded the public of its hotlines: 08063299264 and 09168631003. Officers assured Lagosians that calls to these numbers would receive prompt attention.
As the suspects remain in custody pending further investigations, many commuters are hopeful that the latest breakthrough signals the beginning of the end for one of Lagos’s most dreaded robbery syndicates.
