The police in Lagos State have arrested two suspected members of a syndicate for allegedly hypnotising and stealing N120,000 from a food vendor
The police in Lagos State have arrested two
suspected members of a syndicate for allegedly hypnotising and stealing
N120,000 from a food vendor
The police in Lagos State have arrested two suspected members of a
syndicate for allegedly hypnotising and stealing N120,000 from a food vendor,
identified as Rukayat Aderinwale.
The suspects– Sunday
Atanda and Fausat Tijani– were arrested by men of the Rapid Response Squad on
Saturday.
According to a
statement by the RRS, the suspects, who were arrested in Oshodi, were taking
their victim to an unknown location when she regained consciousness and called
for help.
The police said, “The
syndicate
was arrested after a failed bid to swindle a food vendor out of N120,000 and
dispossess her of her jewellery in Oshodi.
“The
victim was accosted and hypnotised by the five gang members and dispossessed
her of a purse containing N120,000, and a mobile phone.
“They
were taking her away when the lady regained consciousness and called out to RRS
officers stationed nearby.
“The
officers arrested Sunday Atanda, and Fausat Tijani, a 58-year-old pure water
seller in Akala, Mushin, while three other members of the syndicate escaped.”
Atanda
was said to have identified other members of the gang as one Kayode, Shina and
Lateef.
The
suspect, who claimed to have joined the gang in order to make a living,
allegedly told the police that the group wanted to dispossess the mother of
three of all valuables when they were arrested.
In
a related development, two men – Chinasa Sunday and Osadebe Aigbe – were
arrested on Thursday for allegedly defrauding a woman of N85,000.
The
police were said to have been on the trail of the suspects after their victim,
one Grace Enitan, reported at the RRS office that they defrauded her while she
was heading to Ikeja in a cab.
“Investigations
revealed that Sunday and Aigbe were involved in the fraud, while their
ringleader, identified as Martin, is on the run.
“The
victim identified the two suspects and their roles in the scam at the RRS
office.
“Chinasa,
while pleading for leniency, explained that he joined the syndicate after
losing his job in February 2017.
“He
explained that they picked up the suspect in Olowopopo Way, Ikeja, adding that
his role was to monitor victims while the scam lasted,” the police said.
The
Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said investigations
were ongoing into the cases, adding that the police were on the trail of other
members of the syndicates.