The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two suspected armed robbers, Babangida and Bello, over their alleged involvement in a motorcycle robbery in Ogbomoso.
According to The Nigerian Tribune, Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Ayodeji Abimbola, who briefed journalists on the development, said the suspects attacked a commercial motorcyclist, Isaac Olakanmi, on March 26 at about 8 p.m. while he was returning home with his wife and child.
He said the victim was ambushed in a secluded part of Ogbomoso by armed men who used cutlasses and sticks to assault him and his family before taking away his Bajaj motorcycle, mobile phones, ATM cards, and cash.
Following a report of the incident, operatives of the Monitoring Unit launched an investigation, which led to the arrest of Bello the next morning at Eleekara in Oyo town. Babangida initially fled but was rearrested within 24 hours. Some stolen items, including the motorcycle and one phone, were recovered.
Further investigations showed that Babangida had sold one of the stolen phones for a small amount shortly before his arrest.
The victim confirmed the attack and said he and his family sustained injuries, while appreciating the police for recovering part of his property and appealing for the rest.
Both suspects reportedly confessed to the crime. Babangida, 28, who said he hailed from Niger State but lived in Ogbomoso, claimed he worked as a farmer and committed the robbery due to financial hardship. He admitted using a stick and cutlass during the operation but insisted no firearm was involved.
He further explained that he and his accomplice had positioned themselves by the roadside to target a motorcyclist, and after spotting an opportunity, they seized the bike and fled with it.
Babangida also told Saturday Tribune that he had intended to go for cow rustling but decided to snatch the motorcycle when he couldn’t get any cow after staying in the bush for three days.
He said, “My initial intention was to steal a cow and take it to Akinyele Community for sale. The intending buyer was in Akinyele and I went to him to strike the deal. He gave me N10,000 as transport fare.
“I had made up my mind to steal rams if I could not get a cow. However, I was in the bush for three days but couldn’t get a cow. I was so hungry that I was just eating cashew and mango fruits in the bush.
“I had no money with me as I had finished spending the N10,000 I was given by the intending buyer. So, I left the bush for the road to snatch the motorcycle.”
Babangida explained that after carrying out the robbery, he and his accomplice took the stolen motorcycle into a bush where they spent the night. He said they left the bush the following morning en route to their destination, unaware that the victim had already reported the incident to the police.
He further stated that he was later tracked to the Eleekara area in Oyo State while heading towards the Akinyele community. According to him, his accomplice was arrested during the operation, but he managed to escape at the time.
He added that he proceeded to Akinyele, where he sold one of the stolen phones for N15,000, which he claimed he spent on food, cigarettes, and slippers, before being eventually arrested by the police.
The suspect, who said he was 28 years old and had two wives and five children in Niger State, also claimed that his wives had left with their children to stay with their parents due to his inability to cater for them.
Expressing remorse, he was quoted as saying that it was his first time engaging in such a crime and that he had not initially understood the gravity of his actions. He said he now realised his mistake and pleaded for forgiveness from the authorities, assuring that he would not engage in such conduct again. Read_More…