How Police recovered N50m from robbery suspect ; Area boys waylay Lagos bank customers

Bank customers in Ikorodu area of Lagos State have sent a Save-Our-Souls (SOS) message to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, to rescue them from street urchins (aka Area boys) who harass them each time they go to withdraw money.
Most vulnerable area is the Benson bus-stop along Lagos Road, Ikorodu where many banks are located.
This is even as the police recovered N50 million from a robbery suspect in Lagos at the weekend.
One of such customers, John Ugbekilie, said the hoodlums in their scores are always hanging around the banks and once a customer leaves the premises, especially if you withdraw money from the ATM, they would surround you and start harassing you for settlement. “Out of fear, you have to settle them. Each time I went to withdraw money, I always kept some in one of my pockets to settle the hoodlums.
“The worst scenario is that if you refused to settle, they would threaten to rob you. I have been a victim of the harassment on several occasions, I have also decided to withdraw money outside Ikorodu. The irony is that while harassing the customers, you will see men of the Area ‘N’ command in their patrol vehicle watching as the hoodlums harass and molest their victims.
“Almost all the banks are located in the area and the same harassment is what bank customers experience. Last Tuesday, a man who tried to challenge the hoodlums was beaten to a pulp. His money and other personal belongings, including his handset were stolen. While he was being beaten, the police were watching. We were helpless because the boys were many.
“That is why I am appeal¬ing to Mr. Owoseni to come to our rescue by deploying policemen to the bank.
“We thank him for bringing a section of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to Ikorodu. We are also happy with the development, against the spate of robbery attacks in the town in recent times,” he said.
Meanwhile, the police command has arrested an armed robbery suspect who specialised in robbing cash in transit vans.
Recovered from the sus¬pect was 118,000 USD and 50,000 pounds, estimated at N50 million.
The suspect, Bolaji, was arrested by policemen from Ilupeju station. Bolaji said he and others now at large, have robbed Bankers’ Warehouse of the whop¬ping amount.
He confessed that the money was kept with a na¬tive doctor.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Ilupeju, Mr. Olayinka Egbeyemi, led operatives to the house of the native doctor where the money was recovered.
After the recovery, CP Owoseni ordered the DPO to immediately hand over the money to the Bankers’ Warehouse.
The DPO was said to have handed over the mon¬ey to its owner.
A manager of the Bank¬ers’ Warehouse, who spoke to Crime Watch Today on condition of anonymity, said: “I have never seen po¬licing in this way. Imme¬diately the money was re¬covered, the DPO called us and handed over the money to us without removing a kobo. He also ordered his anti-robbery team to escort us back to the office.
The Commissioner of Police who confirmed the arrest said the suspect would soon be charged to court.