KEHINDE FAJOBI
Police have arrested two individuals who posed as police officers for breaking into the home of two young men, brutalising them and withdrawing about N1.35m from their account via POS as well as allegedly seizing $5000 found in their home.
The suspects posed as officers from the Force Investigation Bureau (FIB) and Special Tactical Squad (STS) of the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja and broke into the house of Fatai Showunmi, 20, a spare parts dealer and Samuel Toyosi, 25.
The victims alleged that seven heavily armed men including the arrested suspects wearing jackets with the inscription “FIB-STS” invaded their home at No, 15, Oseyintola Street, Ifako-Ijaye in Agege, Lagos on July 15, 2022 around 11:30pm.
They said that the suspects claimed that they came to investigate them for kidnapping and immediately, some men in mufti stormed the apartment, kicking and slapping the victims for keeping them outside for a long time.
It was also gathered that the occupants of the apartment initially thought that the men were armed robbers but they later identified themselves as police officers from the Force Headquarters on investigation and wished to search the apartment.
The occupants demanded for their search warrant but were beaten and kicked severely. The officers then shoved them aside and ransacked the apartment, damaging furnitures and in the process found $5000 in a wardrobe which they quickly took.
The victims said the officers did not find any incriminating evidence as they allegedly siezed their phones and hauled them into a car, taking them along.
“On the road, they said they were taken us to Area B Command, Apapa for further interrogation before being flown to Abuja the next day. First, they took us to the front of Red House Police Station, Iju where we were mercilessly tortured. They left again to the front of Meran Police Station where the beating continued until we were forced to disclose our account details. Having discovered N1.7m in Fatai’s account, the officers told him to give them his ATM pin with which they withdrew N1, 350, 000 .00 using different POS machines.”
It was also gathered that the victims were able to get the name of the leader of the group, which they googled and got his picture. They called a top police officer related to them in Abuja who then directed them to Lagos State Police commissioner who advised them to write a petition to the IGP.
The victims said they wrote the petition but later called Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin who informed the DPO in Iju. Policemen stormed their hideout where the two suspects were arrested including the gang leader who happened to be a serving Police officer. Four others are still on the run as assorted weapons were reportedly recovered from them.
Police sources according to Vanguard said the second suspect is a dismissed policeman. They are said to be a gang of notorious robbers that have been operating in different parts of Lagos and beyond for long and have been on Police searchlight.
Lagos State Police spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin also confirmed the arrest of the two suspects and said that investigation was still in progress after he was contacted by Vanguard.