The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), police command, have arrested a
gang of criminals who specialises in using commercial taxis to rob innocent passengers.
The robbery suspects, who are now in police custody, are said to operate the popular “one chance vehicle”, and station their vehicles at popular bus stops where they carry desperate passengers only to rob them half way into their journey.
The suspects, totaling nine persons according to the Public Relations Officer in charge of the FCT, police command, ASP Anjuguri Manzah, were arrested at various parts of the city following intelligence report and complaints from victims.
Those arrested include Adams Maina, Yau Abubakar, Abdul Adamu, Ada Oyigotho, Ibrahim Abba, Kenneth Okonkwo, Chijioke Elom, Chibuike Nnaji and Habeeb Hassan. Items recovered from them at the time of their arrest include two operational vehicles, a Honda Civic with registration number RBC 135 TJ and one unpainted Golf 2, vehicle with registration number YLA 989 AA. Also recovered from the suspects are various brands of mobile telephone handsets, tools, knives and other weapons.
Anjuri, told National lifewatch, in Abuja, that apart from robbing innocent passengers at gun point while on motion, some members of the gang, operate in bus stops, motor parks, markets, shopping malls and other highly populated places to rob people of their handbags, handsets, laptops, monies and other valuables while posing to be passengers or customers as the case may be.
In an interview after parading the suspects before news men, some of the suspects, told National lifewatch, that they had to take into the crime due to lack of good job, even though they are willing to work.
They said they have been in Abuja for sometime and struggling to survive and that they were lured unto the illegal business because of the profit in it. They said on a good day, they get as high as N20,000, each, especially when they rob people that are just coming from the banks.
On how they rob their victims at bus stops and those they carry in their illegal taxis, they said they resume duty everyday at about 7am, in the morning and carry out their duty and work late into the night before closing for the day.
At the bus stops, they said they pretend to be passengers waiting to board vehicle and snatch hand bags and hand sets and other valuables. In other not to be caught, they said would quickly pass the snatched items from their victims and pass it quickly to their members who will then leave the scene to a safer place. With this, he says not even the police can accuse them of stealing since the item stolen has been taken away by their colleagues.
On how they rob passengers they carry in their vehicles, they said they usually target bank premise, shopping malls and other busy areas where people are waiting to board commercial vehicle.
After carrying the passengers, they said they would drive to busy roads like the Kubwa express road and the airport roads where they force the passengers to surrender their valuables at gun point or pointing a dagger at them. After taking their valuables, they said they would then push their victim out of the moving vehicle and zoom off.
They also confessed that they usually throw off the bags off the express road after ransacking it of all valuable.
The police PRO, said the suspects would soon be charged to court as soon as investigation into the matter is concluded
.
The robbery suspects, who are now in police custody, are said to operate the popular “one chance vehicle”, and station their vehicles at popular bus stops where they carry desperate passengers only to rob them half way into their journey.
The suspects, totaling nine persons according to the Public Relations Officer in charge of the FCT, police command, ASP Anjuguri Manzah, were arrested at various parts of the city following intelligence report and complaints from victims.
Those arrested include Adams Maina, Yau Abubakar, Abdul Adamu, Ada Oyigotho, Ibrahim Abba, Kenneth Okonkwo, Chijioke Elom, Chibuike Nnaji and Habeeb Hassan. Items recovered from them at the time of their arrest include two operational vehicles, a Honda Civic with registration number RBC 135 TJ and one unpainted Golf 2, vehicle with registration number YLA 989 AA. Also recovered from the suspects are various brands of mobile telephone handsets, tools, knives and other weapons.
Anjuri, told National lifewatch, in Abuja, that apart from robbing innocent passengers at gun point while on motion, some members of the gang, operate in bus stops, motor parks, markets, shopping malls and other highly populated places to rob people of their handbags, handsets, laptops, monies and other valuables while posing to be passengers or customers as the case may be.
In an interview after parading the suspects before news men, some of the suspects, told National lifewatch, that they had to take into the crime due to lack of good job, even though they are willing to work.
They said they have been in Abuja for sometime and struggling to survive and that they were lured unto the illegal business because of the profit in it. They said on a good day, they get as high as N20,000, each, especially when they rob people that are just coming from the banks.
On how they rob their victims at bus stops and those they carry in their illegal taxis, they said they resume duty everyday at about 7am, in the morning and carry out their duty and work late into the night before closing for the day.
At the bus stops, they said they pretend to be passengers waiting to board vehicle and snatch hand bags and hand sets and other valuables. In other not to be caught, they said would quickly pass the snatched items from their victims and pass it quickly to their members who will then leave the scene to a safer place. With this, he says not even the police can accuse them of stealing since the item stolen has been taken away by their colleagues.
On how they rob passengers they carry in their vehicles, they said they usually target bank premise, shopping malls and other busy areas where people are waiting to board commercial vehicle.
After carrying the passengers, they said they would drive to busy roads like the Kubwa express road and the airport roads where they force the passengers to surrender their valuables at gun point or pointing a dagger at them. After taking their valuables, they said they would then push their victim out of the moving vehicle and zoom off.
They also confessed that they usually throw off the bags off the express road after ransacking it of all valuable.
The police PRO, said the suspects would soon be charged to court as soon as investigation into the matter is concluded
.
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