I have been two times unlucky – suspect

Barely 18 days after his release from detention at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti in Lagos, Lagos, 23-years-old Godwin Nwankwo was again re-arrested by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command, for allegedly vandalising bridge railings and crash barriers on Ijora Bridge, the same offence he committed about three months ago.

The suspect was arrested when he was allegedly bringing out some cut-to-size railings and crash barriers from manholes which were meant to reinforce Ijora Bridge from vibrating as well as protect vehicles from falling from the bridge.

The suspect, who had spent 44 days in police detention allegedly stated that he stole the railings because he was desperately hungry and there was no alternative means for him to get money.

“When I was arrested for the first time, I pleaded for leniency and mercy. Now, I have been caught again, I don’t know what to say again. All I can say is that it was the devil that pushed me into this act.”

Nwankwo allegedly explained that he was looking for money to relocate to Enugu as life is difficult for him in Lagos. “My plan was to raise some money to enable me relocate to Enugu, where I repair handsets before coming to Lagos. I want to leave Lagos because my life has been meaningless here,” he stated.

While confessing to the crime, he revealed that he sold the stolen railings to one Alhaji Talimu Sanni and another man, now at large in the same Ijora area.

His revelation to the interrogators resulted in the arrest of one of the main receivers of the stolen railings, Talimu Sanni the following day.

The 54-year-old receiver allegedly admitted to the Police that he collected the items from the suspect about six weeks ago. “Although, I bought bridge railings from the suspect, but I don’t know they were stolen items,” he pleaded.

The State Police Spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmus, confirmed the arrest and promised that anyone involved in the act would be brought to book.

“We are intensifying our efforts to arrest anybody vandalising Government infrastructure across the state. This stride has begun to yield positive results as some of them have been arrested and they are facing prosecution at the moment,” she said.