The police have arrested three suspects for an alleged robbery in daylight at Alaba International Market, in the Ojo area of Lagos State.

The suspects – Olawale Qudus, aka Lala, 25; Ajayi Olayemi, 22 and 20-year-old Wasiu Nurudeen – were reportedly arrested around 2pm penultimate Saturday by an anti-robbery team attached to the Ojo Divisional Police Station after a distress call by the leadership of the market.

City Round learnt that a locally-made pistol with three live cartridges, 12 mobile phones and a motorcycle with the number plate, KUS753QQ, were recovered from the suspects.

“During the course of investigation, Olayemi confessed that he had a personal locally-made pistol which he hid with one live cartridge. He further confessed to have been shot on the day of the incident that led to their arrest. The pistol has been recovered as an exhibit,” a police source told our correspondent.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the arrest, said investigation was ongoing.

He added, “The suspects and the exhibits will be transferred to the CP Special Squad for more discreet investigation.”

Meanwhile, the police are on the trail of a suspected internet fraudster identified as Collins for allegedly parading himself as the chief executive officer of a poultry farm, NPG Farms, to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

It was gathered that a team of police from Lagos had tracked down Collins to Abuja but was later released on health grounds and asked to report at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, on December 6, 2021 while a lawyer and one other stood as his sureties.

Collins was however absent on the said date without giving any reason, leading to the lawyer’s arrest.

A report sighted by our correspondent stated that the NPG Farms CEO, one Okewole Kazeem, had lodged a complaint to the police, saying that his two phones were stolen and someone had been using his social media handles and customers contacts to perpetrate fraud.

The report stated, “The complainant further stated that his company logo bearing NPG Farm and his different bank account numbers were also used to perpetuate this dastardly act. The case was accepted and operatives sprung into action. The phone number used was tracked and one Collins was arrested in Gwagwalada, Abuja.

“After his arrest, Collins confessed to being the one behind the defrauding innocent customers of NPG Farms between the years 2020 and 2021. He further stated that he had been forging the NPG Farm logo with the help of his laptop computer which was later recovered from him.

“Based on the plea of his lawyer over the deplorable state of his health, he was granted administrative bail and was released to a reliable surety pending when the case will be filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos. Meanwhile, the suspect was asked to report back to the SCIID on December 6, 2021 but failed to show up or give reasons why he couldn’t. Hence, one of his sureties, a barrister, has been arrested for arraignment.” (Courtesy PUNCH)

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