Police arrest alleged trans-border car snatchers

The police in Oyo State have arrested five alleged armed robbery trans-border car snatchers, six ritualists and 45 others for offences ranging from murder to arson and defilement.

The Police Commissioner in the state, Ngozi Onadeko, made the disclosure on Thursday while briefing newsmen on the achievements of the command at its headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan.

Ms Onadeko said the suspects confessed to have moved robbed cars across Nigeria’s border to Burkina Faso, where they were sold to unsuspecting buyers.

She said the car snatchers had received and moved at least seven robbed cars to the said neighbouring country.

The commissioner said the items recovered from the suspects include a Toyota Corolla car with Reg. No. KTU 453 GE, two locally made guns and 18 live cartridges.

”On 29th March, 2021 at about 2130hrs, one Mr Adegbite Oluwasegun was attacked at Arulogun Area, Ojoo, Ibadan and dispossessed of his Toyota Corolla car with Reg. No. Lagos KTU 453 GE and some other valuable items at gunpoint by some members of alleged notorious trans-border armed robbers.

“Sequel to the receipt of this information at the Monitoring Unit Office, Ibadan, a team of police operatives attached to the unit led by CSP Olusola Aremu swung into action.

“In the process of their discreet investigation, two members of the dreaded trans-border armed robbery syndicate were arrested.

”The Toyota Corolla car belonging to the victim was equally recovered from the suspects.

“The confessional statements of the armed robbers later led to the arrest of their criminal receivers,” Ms Onadeko said.

The commissioner said the suspects, upon interrogation, confessed to the crime and that they were members of an armed robbery gang terrorising Ikolaba, Arogun and other areas in Ibadan metropolis.

Also, the police paraded suspected money ritualists in possession of human parts such as heart, flesh and dried bones.

The suspects were said to have approached one Alfa, now at large, that assisted them in getting the human parts at the rate of N10,000.

Mr Onadeko said the incident happened on March 18 at Saki town, Oyo State.

She said that men of the Federal Highway Patrol team, who were on Stop and Search duty at Forest area along Igbeti/Igboho road on March 19, apprehended the suspects and found them in possession of the human parts.

Ms Onadeko said investigation was still in progress and the suspects would be charged to court after it was concluded.

NAN reports that 31 suspected miscreants terrorising different locations within Ibadan metropolis and attacking innocent citizens, disposing them of their personal belongings, were also paraded.

(NAN)