How brave shop owner foiled robbery attack in Lagos
A police sources in Lagos have recounted how an armed robbery gang attacked a chemist- cumliquor store owner in Lagos.
The three-man armed gang was said to have beaten and pistolwhipped the store owner, who doubles as the sales manager in a daytime attack.
The incident happened about 11.00 a.m. at Okomaiko area of Lagos, a police source said.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Joe Offor, a Deputy Superintendent, who confirmed the incident, however, said luck ran against the gang as the victim raised an alarm and in the process of escaping, one of the suspects was arrested but two others escaped on a motorcycle.
The store owner believed the attack on him may have been planned by a group of boys, who often gathered in the compound of a primary school at Casidy bus stop to smoke Indian hemp under the pretense of playing football.
He claimed that the gang also used the school’s classrooms as a place for gambling, particularly in the morning and evening hours.
A
police
source identified one of the suspects as Olarewaju Animashaun, 25, while another member was simply identified as Biodun.
The store owner, who simply identified himself as Emeka for fear that other members of the gang might stage another attack on him, said on the day of the incident, one of the suspects walked straight to him on the pretense of wanting to buy something.
“Before I knew what was happening, one of them knocked me down and pistol whipped me right on my face. But I managed to break lose and ran towards the entrance, where I screamed out to passersby,” he said.
He said the second suspect held up a customer at the counter, holding a gun to his head and roughly restraining him.
After all the violence, two of the robbers ran away empty-handed, while Olarewaju who was not so lucky was arrested, he added.
The store owner’s head was stitched severally as a result of the attack and has several wounds on his lips.
Daily Trust investigations revealed that Olanrewaju and his gang walked into the store and demanded money after showing a locally made single barrel gun to the owner.
One of the robbers was said to have initially asked for information about the price of some items before pulling out the gun.
The 25-year-old robbery suspect was arrested by the police operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of Lagos State Police Command.
At the command, where he was paraded, he alleged that he was lured into the crime by one of his friends, whom he identified as Abiodun.
He said his desire to go back to school made him accept his friend’s offer.
The suspect, who hails from Oshodile in Epetedo area of Lagos State, was arrested by the anti-robbery policemen from area ‘K’ command, Morogbo, Badagry and was later transferred to SARS for further investigation and prosecution.
The Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Joe Offor, a Deputy Superintendent, confirmed that the suspect and two others attacked a supermarket and drugs store belonging to one Emeka.
He said they were armed with one locally made pistol during the operation.
Luck, however, ran against him as the victim raised an alarm and in the process of escaping, Animashaun was arrested, while two others escaped on a motorcycle.