Serial car robbers arrested in Ibadan

Two robbery suspects, who specialised in
snatching exotic cars in Ibadan, have been
arrested by men of Special Anti-robbery
Squad of the Oyo State Police Command.
A member of the gang, Iyanda Dauda, 32, was
arrested at a relaxation centre in the Oje area
of Ibadan after snatching a Toyota Picnic car
with plate number, Lagos KTU 494 AE, on
September 3.
The state command’s Police Public Relations
Officer, Olabisi Ilobanafo, said the owner of
the vehicle, who works with the Power
Holding Company of Nigeria, reported to the
police that he was robbed at gun point around
the Ile Titun area of Ologun-eru in the city.
She said, “A report was received on the day of
the robbery incident that a car was snatched
at gun point from the owner.
“Operatives from SARS swung into action and
after a thorough investigation, Dauda was
arrested at a relaxation centre where he was
drinking.”
Dauda’s arrest also led to the apprehension of
another member of the gang, Idris Tirimisiyu.
Tirimisiyu, who is a caterpillar operator, said
he was also a part-time musician and diesel
oil dealer. He said he met one Alhaji Ibrahim,
who promotes musicians, at an event in
Ibadan. Their brief relationship led to his
being co-opted into the robbery gang.
He said, “I approached him to help me as a
musician and he introduced me to Ike Adam.
But our relationship did not last because of
the gang’s fetish activities.
“I was later contacted to look for a buyer for
a Toyota Camry car and I got one chief who
bought the car for N300,000. I was given
N70,000 from the proceed.”
Tirimisiyu claimed that he was lured into
another sale of a car which led to his arrest.
“I was called by Dauda to get someone to
purchase a Toyota Picnic car but when I could
not reach the buyer, Dauda told to come and
meet him along the expressway where I
walked into an ambush,” he said.
Confessing to the theft, Dauda said he was
among the robbers that snatched the car
from the owner and that he was waiting for a
buyer at the relaxation centre where he was
arrested.
Dauda said, “When the police arrested me, I
called Tirimisiyu to meet me at a location.
That was how he was also arrested.
“I was an auto mechanic but one man called
Uche approached me one day and told me to
keep a gun for him.
“He told me that I could make quick money if
I joined his group. That was how I became a
robber. I have wife and a child but I have
disappointed them with my action.”