Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two suspected members of a robbery syndicate and recovered an operational tricycle allegedly used in carrying out attacks on unsuspecting passengers across parts of Lagos State.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, the Command said the arrests followed a routine stop-and-search operation along Iyana Ipaja Road, where officers intercepted a tricycle carrying three occupants.
According to the police, the situation escalated when one of the passengers was found with three Android phones suspected of having been stolen from victims.
The Command explained that “while the search was ongoing, the tricycle rider suddenly zoomed off, abandoning the other occupants at the scene,” a move that immediately raised suspicion and triggered a manhunt.
One of the abandoned passengers, identified as Ademola Ibrahim, was arrested on the spot.
During interrogation, he reportedly confessed, saying he was “a member of a robbery syndicate popularly known as One Chance,” which specialises in dispossessing commuters of valuables along routes such as Idimu, Iyana-Ipaja, Egbeda, and Dopemu.
The police further stated that “his confession led to a follow-up operation that resulted in the arrest of the fleeing tricycle rider,” identified as 26-year-old Raheem Lawal.
The Command added that the operational tricycle, with registration number SMK 309 QP, was recovered during the operation.
Providing further updates, the police said two victims who had previously reported similar incidents along the axis were brought in and “positively identified the suspects as members of the gang,” while also identifying their stolen phones among the recovered items.
The Command noted that the investigation is ongoing to track down other members of the syndicate, stressing that “efforts are being intensified to dismantle the network and bring all those involved to justice.”
The police also reiterated their commitment to proactive policing, stating that the Command remains focused on “intelligence-led operations, continuous raids, and sustained pressure on criminal elements across the state.”
Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, in his reaction, reaffirmed what he described as the Command’s “unwavering commitment to eradicating robbery and other violent crimes in Lagos State.”
He also urged residents to remain alert and cooperative, advising that members of the public should always stay vigilant, remain calm during stop-and-search operations, and support the Police with timely and credible information.
