TVC E. ”There were indications two days ago, that a Police Corporal was arrested in connection with a robbery operation, Saturday night, at Shagamu area of Lagos.
Three others alleged to be members of the robbery gang are still on the run.
According to Vanguard the policemen numbering four, who were on night duty, drove to Shagamu in a Lexus jeep, where they allegedly attacked a 20ft container loaded with with auto spare parts. They reportedly tied the trailer driver and his conductor, and dumped them in a bush around Ijebu-Ode and diverted the trailer to Okokomaiko in Lagos State, where the auto parts were allegedly sold to a ready buyer for N30m. Luck, however, ran against them after the company alerted policemen at Shagamu division of the incident.
It was gathered that the truck was traced to Lagos through its tracking device. Sources hinted that when the Lagos State Police Command was informed, its operatives at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, swung into action. However, when policemen attached to Okokomaiko flagged the trailer and the Lexus jeep down, the occupants were said to have opened fire on them. But they were reportedly over-powered.
At the end of the shoot- out, one of the occupants in the diverted truck was arrested, while others managed to escape. On close observation, he was reportedly discovered to be a Constable, whose identity was given as Victor Omorokai, attached to Federal SARS, Ikeja.
During interrogation, it was gathered that he confessed that the operation was led by one Inspector Taiwo attached to the same unit, adding that the loot was with Taiwo. The policemen were said to have been transferred from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, to FSARS three months ago. The visibly angry Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, was said to have ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
As at yesterday, the arrested policeman, as gathered, was still being quizzed. However, when the command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmus, was contacted, she described the claim as untrue. She said: “It’s not a confirmed story. Ignore it. If investigation reveals they are policemen we will let you know.”