Police turn down N500,000 bribe from suspected rod thieves

Operatives of the Lagos Police Command at the weekend rejected a N500,000 bribe from five suspects caught with stolen 25mm iron rods and other items belonging to China Construction Engineering Company (CCEC).

A police team attached to Area E Command, Festac, was said to have apprehended the suspects around 3 am on April 11, between Volks Bus Stop and Iyana Iba.

According to a statement by spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the suspects- Lawal Saheed, 40, Taofeek Adenigba, 43, Ope Olowolayemo, 28, Azeez Jamie, 41 and Omotayo Adewale, 34, were in a bus with registration number FST679XZ.

Upon their interception, Adejobi said the suspects allegedly offered N500,000 bribe to the policemen in exchange for their release but were rebuffed.

“The items recovered from them are some pieces of 25mm iron rods, one nozzle, one gas cylinder and Ford Bus with Reg. No. FST697XZ. The management of CCEC has been contacted by the police and identified the stolen items to be their property.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, ordered that the matter be thoroughly investigated and the suspects be charged to court as soon as possible,” he said.

Similarly, police operatives attached to Sagamu Road on Monday arrested two suspected armed robbers with a dummy pistol.

Adejobi said the suspects, Awosika Kehinde, 24 and Olatilewa Ayomide, 18, were arrested around 12:45 pm, at Sabo, adding that preliminary investigation revealed they usually used the toy gun to scare and rob victims especially in traffic.

“They are giving useful information to assist the police in the course of their investigation. Items recovered from them include one dummy beretta pistol and some assorted charms.

“The Commissioner of Police has directed that the suspects be transferred to the command’s Special Squad for a thorough investigation,” Adejobi said.