From: Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Five suspected armed robbers have been arrested by men of the Ogun State police command.
In a release by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, the suspected robbers, nabbed on March 1, were the gang that robbed the Vice Chancellor of Crawford University, Igbesa Ogun State, Professor Rotimi Ajayi.
The suspects are Rasaq, 27, Keneth Ohimai, 38, Segun Idike, 19 and Hassan Musa, 25. The fifth one, Joseph Housus, was later apprehended in Ajase, Republic of Benin.
Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said the VC had been robbed along Atan-Igbesa road on the 27th January, 2017 of his Toyota Highlander Jeep, five phones, an IPAD and some cash of money.
He added the incident was immediately reported and the operatives of FSARS have been on the trail of the hoodlums since then.
The effort, according to the PPRO, paid off when the operatives received a vital information about their hide-out in Seme border and the place was stormed their hideout.
“The robbers engaged the team in gun duel which lasted for about an hour. At the end of the encounter, four of the syndicate, were arrested, while the fifth one who escaped with gun wound was later arrested at Ajase in Benin Republic where he had gone for treatment.
“Effort is on to extradite him back to Nigeria. Recovered from them were four pump action guns, one locally made pistol and 30 live cartridges. On interrogation, they confessed being the syndicate that robbed the VC, and that the Toyota Jeep had been sold off at the Republic of Benin.
“We are working in conjunction with the security agents in Benin Republic for possible recovery of the vehicle”. The PPRO stated.
Oyeyemi, however, said the State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, commended the gallantry display of the FSARS men and advised them not to rest on their oars until the state is rid of crime and criminality.
“He equally appealed to members of the public not to relent on their efforts in giving necessary information to the police in order to have crime free society”, the Police spokesperson submitted.