My only regret is that I was arrested in front of my children – robbery suspect

Joy Anyim

Father of two, Olayinka Arowogbola who was arrested by men of the Lagos State Police Command for armed robbery has attributed his fate to poverty and peer pressure.

The 28-years-old Kwara indigene was arrested alongside six of his gang members who had been terrorising commuters in Lagos especially those plying the Oshodi/Mile 2 route.

Arowogbola who was paraded by the Acting Commissioner of Police, CP Edgal Imohimi, told our correspondent that his only regret was that he was arrested in front of his children.
According to CP Imohimi, the suspects were arrested on October 27th, 2017 at about 1:45am with five operational vehicles.

The suspects named Segun Adeniyi (35) Lucky Thompson (36), Kenneth Okogie (30), Andrew Hezekiah (29), Lucky Udeni (28), Tunde Olagunju (32) and Olayinka Arowogbola aged 28 – all members of a gang known as ‘Catch-on-the-Air’ were arrested by his team.

The police said the gang specialised in dispossessing passengers of their belongings and robbing them at gun-point on the Lagos Oshodi-Apapa Expressway/Charity Bus-Stop Oshodi and Mafoluku and were intercepted and arrested by operatives of the Command within the Lagos State Metropolis.

“Suspects confessed to the crimes and a Volkswagen Fanagon bus with Reg. No. KJA 555 XN, Volkswagen Fanagon bus with Reg. No. EKY 678 XT, Volkswagen Fanagon bus with EST 362 XN, Volkswagen Fanagon bus with Reg. No. APP 820 XE, all painted in Lagos State commercial colour and one black Lexus RX 300 Jeep with Reg. No. LSR 861 ER used as their operational vehicles in committing the crimes were recovered from them.”

in his written statement, Arowogbola denied being involved in armed robbery. He alleged he was only a pick-pocket operator and from time to time followed one chance vehicles.

He said he got into the act in 2015. “Basically, poverty led me into it. I have two children and a wife to take care of and my mechanic job wasn’t yielding enough income to sustain the family.
“When I got involved in pick-pocket, I was making between N10,000 to N15,000 for each operation. Most times we would steal phones, cash and other valuables from our victims.

“For the two years I have been involved in this, my wife never knew what I was into. My greatest pain was that I was arrested in front of my children. I feel very disappointed in myself and don’t know how to face them If I do get out of this,” he lamented.

On how he was arrested, he said, “There is a neighbour who is also a colleague in Ojo road. The police had come to arrest him but they didn’t see him. So I guess the informant had also told them that I was also into same act so they came to my house and arrested me.”

Speaking in tears he said further: “I used to sell second hand clothes, but due to family needs and peer pressure, I went into pick-pocket. I am an SSS 2 drop out who has two children to take care of and pick-pocket was giving me enough money to pay my bills.”

For Olagunju, the story was different as he claimed he used to follow one-chance vehicles but had since quit the act.

The Oyo state indigene said, “On Sunday at about past 10pm, I had gone to my wife’s shop where she sells drinks at Wilmer to pick her up. Just few minutes after getting there, I saw people running from police presence. I just stood in front of my wife’s shop and suddenly the police came and arrested me.

“I thought it was just one of those police raid where after they are able to identify you as a law abiding citizen you would be freed. I was however surprised when I was taken to the Police Headquarters in Ikeja and was told I had been arrested for my involvement in one chance activity.

“The fact remains that I used to be involved in pick pocket crime before I turned a new leaf. I have not been involved in it for over six months now and have been assisting my wife in her business.

“I am a trained electrician and I have two children and the money for the business was from a loan of N500,000 my wife had collected which we are even still paying back.”

On his strategy while pick pocketing he said, “I enter a bus and I just sit close to a person and I will remove whatever I want from their bags or pocket and then alight without them noticing.”

He also alleged his environment influenced his involvement in the crime.

20 years old Riliwan Bamidele said the police they came to the house to look for his uncle whom he has been living with for just three months. “He hasn’t come home for about a week but never explained why. The police came around 4am on Monday to look for Arowole saying he is a one chance operator.

“I never knew he was into such and I am very much disappointed in him. I am a secondary school graduate and an applicant.”

The Commissioner of Police said the suspects would be charged to court when investigations are completed.