2 men in military camouflage nabbed for hijacking petrol tanker

Detectives from Itire Division, Lagos State Police Command, have arrested two armed robbery suspects for allegedly hijacking a truck carrying 40,000 litres of petrol, while four others reportedly escaped with bullet wounds.

The suspects, Charles Obllomo, 37; and Osita Onyeka, 35, who were dressed in military camouflage, allegedly hijacked the DAF truck by intercepting the driver at a bad spot on the Mile-2 Oshodi expressway on December 28.

The police said that the suspects kept the driver, one Muhammadu Mande, 42, and his conductor, Lawali Usman, 34, in another car with four other members of the gang at gun point and were heading to an unknown destination before they were intercepted by a police patrol team at Itire.

The spokesman of the police in Lagos State, Bala Elkana, who confirmed the arrest, said that at about 7pm on Saturday, while acting on the strength of information from a reliable source, police operatives from Itire Division led by the Divisional Police Officer, SP Barkfur Kromkyes, made the interception.

Elkana said the truck driver and the conductor were rescued unhurt.

He said, “The two suspects in police custody, Charles Obllomo and Osita Onyeka took possession of the truck. The driver and his conductor were sandwiched by the four men in military uniform in the Toyota Corolla. The truck was driving behind the Toyota Corolla and heading to an unknown destination before it was intercepted by the Police.

“According to the driver, he initially thought the hijackers were military men on stop and search duty until they started beating him and his conductor and threatened to kill them if they refuse to follow their orders. The two suspects were arrested in the truck and taken to the station. The four suspects in military uniforms escaped with bullet wounds after a fierce battle with the police. The truck and the Toyota Corolla were recovered and moved to the police station.

“Two pairs of vehicle plate numbers and military caps were recovered in the Corolla. The truck containing the PMS was handed over to the owner, Sani Samaila,” he said.