4 fraudsters operating as cab drivers arrested

The Police in Lagos have arrested four suspected fraudsters operating in Lagos as cab drivers.

The suspects were said to be members of two different gangs operating around Ikeja, Maryland, Ojodu-Berger, Agege and Oshodi parts of the metropolis.

The members of the syndicates, consisting of three male and a female, were arrested in two separate cases of fraud on Thursday and Saturday in Ikeja and Oshodi.

They were said to have been arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) patrolling the areas.

The first group, comprising Chinasa Sunday, 44, and Osadebe Aigbe, 30, were arrested in Ikeja after several days of surveillance of RRS Undercover team for defrauding a lady of the sum of N85,000.

Their victim, Grace Enitan, had reported at the RRS headquarters that a syndicate of four men picked her up in a taxi and duped her of N85,000 while heading to Ikeja.

Investigations revealed that Chinasa Sunday and Osadebe Aigbe were involved in the scam while their ring-leader, identified as Martin is on the run.

The victim, when invited to the RRS headquarters after the arrest of the suspects, identified the two and their respective roles in the scam.

Chinasa pleaded for leniency, saying he joined the syndicate after losing his job in February, 2017. He said they picked up the suspect in Olowopopo Way, Ikeja, adding that his role was to monitor their victims while the scam lasted.

The second syndicate was arrested yesterday after a failed bid to swindle a food seller of over N120,000 and dispossess her of her jewellery in Oshodi.

The suspect, identified as Rukayat Aderinwale, was accosted and hypnotised by a syndicate of five members before dispossessing her of a purse containing N120,000 and her mobile phone.

They were leading her away to another location when the lady regained her consciousness and alerted RRS officers stationed nearby.

The officer arrested one Sunday Atanda, 56, living in No. 13, Pero Street, Agege and Fausat Tijani, 58, a pure water seller in Akala, Mushin, while three other members of the syndicate escaped.

In his confession to the police, Atanda gave the names of other syndicate members as Kayode, Shina and Lateef. He added that the syndicate only operated on the road.

He said what they wanted to achieve was to dispossess the mother of three of her money, phone and jewelleries. He maintained that he joined the team to raise money to feed his family.

He disclosed that the team operated in Agege and Oshodi, adding that Lateef is their ring-leader and he dictated when and where the syndicate would operate every day.

Confirming the development, Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said the command has been reinvigorated to make Lagos inhabitable for criminals.

He added that investigation is on-going to arrest other syndicate members.