Police arrest seven suspected armed robbers in Lagos

The police in Lagos arrested seven suspected armed robbers between April 24 and April 30.

The command's Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Thursday.

Briade said three of the suspects were apprehended at the Oko Oba area on April 26 after a tip-off and a gun duel with the gang.

She said that two locally-made pistols, two live cartridges and a Bajaj motorcycle snatched from the owner by the suspects were recovered.

She said two other suspected robbers were arrested by the Victoria Island Police Division at about 11.35 pm during a stop-and-search operation.

"The police were at Cowry pin-down point when they intercepted a Volkswagen commercial bus marked, APP 291 XG, with five occupants.

"The occupants of the bus jumped down and took to their heels and the policemen gave them a hot chase. Two of them were arrested while others escaped.

"Items recovered from the vehicle are one chief revolver pistol and one cut-to-size locally-made pistol with two live cartridges,'' she said.

Braide said the remaining two suspects were arrested on April 28 by policemen attached to Ketu Division, who acted on a tip-off.

The spokesperson said that the suspects belonged to a syndicate that allegedly specialised in stealing vehicles at car parks.

She said that the suspects were nabbed with one Honda salon car, with plate number, KJA 612 AE, allegedly removed from a church, in Ojudu, Lagos.

Braide said all the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, for further investigation.

In another development, the driver of a truck carrying petroleum products was arrested for allegedly killing one Ms Bamidele Kikelomo, a road cleaner with Lagos State Waste Management Authority.

Braide said the driver lost control of the vehicle and ran over the victim, who was sweeping the Ikorodu Expressway at Ojota on April 29.

The spokesperson said the incident occurred at about 2 pm.

"The victim was rushed to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Unit where she later died.

"The corpse has been deposited at Mainland Hospital mortuary for autopsy and the incident is under investigation," she said.