The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended three suspected armed robbers accused of robbing and assaulting Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Tokunbo Abaniwonda, with a machete.
SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s Public Relations Officer, confirmed the arrests to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.
Hundeyin disclosed that the incident occurred on April 9 around 11:00 p.m. while the Alausa division was conducting a sting operation at Otedola Bridge, Alausa Ikeja.
According to him, during the operation, a gang of three suspected armed robbers emerged from hiding and launched a sudden attack on DPO Alausa with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
He added that the suspects also made off with Abaniwonda’s Samsung S22 phone before fleeing to an undisclosed location.
“Following intelligence gathered on April 13 around 10:00 a.m., it was revealed that the suspects were hiding at a hotel in the Akute area of Ajuwon, Ogun State.
“Acting on this information, the anti-crime team swiftly moved to the location and arrested a 29-year-old suspect known as ‘THUG LIFE’, identified as the ringleader. Another 25-year-old suspect was also apprehended at the hotel,” he stated.
Hundeyin further explained that investigations revealed the suspects forcibly took the handset from the DPO after attacking her with a machete on the back.
He added that additional efforts led to the arrest of a 25-year-old third suspect.
“Further investigations unveiled that the ringleader has been involved in robbery activities on Otedola Bridge for the past five years, frequently changing his accomplices for each operation,” Hundeyin concluded.
