A suspected robber, Adebayo Okikiola, who specialises in robbing operators of Point-of-Sale (PoS) businesses in the Awowo area of Ewekoro Local Government Area (LGA) of Ogun State, was at the weekend rescued from getting lynched by a mob by officers of the Ogun State Police Command.

The suspect, a 21-year-old man, was reportedly caught on December 27 after allegedly robbing a PoS operator in the area. According to reports, the suspect had gone to a PoS point pretending to make a withdrawal but instead attacked the female operator, attempted to gag her and make away with her cash, which contained over N100,000.

However, luck ran out for him as some residents of the community, who witnessed the incident, chased and apprehended him. He was almost lynched, but the timely intervention of the police saved him from the mob.

The Ogun State police spokesperson, SP Omolola Odutola, said, in a statement on the incident that initial investigations indicated that Okokiola had approached a PoS operator at Awowo to withdraw N20,000, along with a service fee of N800.

She said, ?He also bought a soft drink for N450 and sachet water for N50, intending for these expenses to be deducted from his alleged account.

?While alone with the PoS operator, he feigned making a money transfer before attacking her, strangling her, and stealing her purse, which contained N100,000. He fled the scene but was later captured.

?Inquiries showed that Okokiola had been staying at Mingles Hotel in Unity Estate along Onigbedu/Itori Road since December 9, 2024.

He paid N4,000 every 24 hours until December 25, 2024, when he switched rooms for a rate of N6,000 per day.

?Detectives, under police direction, searched Okokiola?s hotel room and discovered six SIM cards from various telecom providers and three ATMs for which he could not offer a plausible explanation. These items were seized for further investigation.?

Odutola advised members of the public, particularly those dealing with PoS transactions, to be more vigilant when conducting cash-based business. (The Guardian)

Update news