Two of the robbery suspects arrested by the operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command for killing a Taxify driver and snatching his vehicle have confessed that they formed their robbery gang in Kirikiri Prison.
The suspects, Simon Tyozemda (27) from Benue State and Lucky Friday (24) from Delta State were arrested on Wednesday, 14th March, 2018 with two long knives inside a UBER operated cab, a Toyota Camry Saloon with the registration number APP 145 EE, which they had planned to kill its driver and steal.
The gang leader, Simon had through his girlfriend’s UBER app ordered a Taxi at past 11:00 p.m. last week. The suspects plan was to lure the driver of the Toyota Camry to a desolate location, kill the driver and take away his vehicle.
The suspects were taking the driver to a lonely place on Lekki – Epe Expressway, Lagos, when their vehicle was stopped by RRS officers for a stop and search. The officers noticed one of the suspects seated at the back of the vehicle hiding a long knife.
Investigations revealed that the suspect’s intention was to divert the driver to a lonely place and snatch his Toyota Camry.
Further police investigations revealed that the duo ex-convicts who were released between December 2017 and January, 2018, from Kirikiri had sometime in February, 2018, in a similar manner snatched a Taxify Toyota Corolla with the registration number, FST 663 EZ along Badore Road, Ajah at bout 2:00 a.m. after killing its driver.
The suspects had after snatching the Toyota Corolla, sold it to one Mohammed Usman for N350,000:00. Mohammed had only paid N100,000 and was to move the vehicle to Jigawa when RRS Decoy Team arrested him.
According to Simon, an erstwhile security guard turned stylist in Badore “I met my colleague, Lucky Friday in Kirikiri Prison. We became friends and when I was released I gave him the number of my brother for him to call me.
When he was released, I promised him I was going to assist him to resettle properly. Since then, we have been working and operating together”.
“Our first operation was where we killed the driver of the Toyota Corrolla. He was a Taxify driver. I stabbed the guy in the stomach twice and I dropped him off the vehicle on the road in Badore, Ajah at after 2:00 a.m. We threw away the knives and bought new ones for the fresh operation we were arrested for”, he added.
He continued “before killing him, I placed the order to Taxify cab to pick us up at Lambasa, Lekki at past 11:00 p.m. Our destination was Abraham Adesanya Estate but we needed a desolate location to snatch the vehicle from the driver.
It was the same business that took me to kirikiri prison. I was introduced into it by Michael. Unfortunately for me, I was arrested while Michael escaped. I spent four months behind bar. It is sad I’m being arrested again over the same business”.
Also arrested along with the suspects were the middle man who introduced the gang to the buyer of the Toyota Corolla, John Thankgod (25) and the buyer of the car, Mohammed Usman (41).
The vehicle was about to be taken to Jigawa State the following day RRS Decoy team arrested the suspects.
Further investigations revealed that the Taxify driver, Godfrey Ovie’s remains was dropped in Badore by the suspects, where it was discovered the following day by the police.
Thousands of excited Nigerians attended the opening day of the much-anticipated maiden edition of the Lagos Shopping Festival (LSF) on Monday, December 23 and were served up an electrifying feast of events, activities and promotions across the the main venue of the festival, the iconic Mobolaji Johnson Arena, (formerly Onikan Stadium).
As advertised, first day of the festival lived up to its billing with a colourful blend of commerce, music, innovation and creativity following its flag off by the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
The Lagos Shopping Festival, powered by the Lagos State Government in collaboration with Chain Reactions Africa, a frontline PR firm, and supported by leading brands, including Zenith Bank, Tolaram Group, First Bank Plc, and Guinness, will see millions of people hit the main venue and select Lagos malls to bag the latest bargains, and bring together the best of city’s retail offering, showcasing local and top global brands and shopping experiences, including in-mall promotions.
Speaking at the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu described the LSF as a history-making festival of back-to-back shopping, fun, and entertainment, reaffirming the Lagos state’s commitment to grow small businesses as well as the entertainment industry.
“This is the first of its kind and this event is made to bring shoppers with MSMEs, with innovators, with entertainers, with the creative industry, with the food industry and everybody,” said Sanwo-Olu.
“For the next three days, we are meant to all come together, enjoy good food, good music, sales at discounted market price, shopping at the highest level and just general entertainment with the creativity of Lagos,” the Governor added.
He called on all Lagosians and Nigerian to join the fun, shopping and entertainment.
“Call everybody from Iyana-Ipaja to Alimosho, call people from Agege, call them from Ebute-Meta to Shomolu, call them from Bariga, from Badagry to Ikorodu, from Epe to Ibeju-Lekki, call everyone to come to the arena here at the Mobolaji Johson Center in Onikan where we’ll be doing shopping, we’ll be doing music, we’ll be doing entertainment for the next two days. This is the first of its kind”, Sanwo-Olu added.
He assured all fun-seekers, buyers and sellers of their safety, saying that they are in a safe, secure, peaceful environment, urging them to “to sit back, relax and see another Lagos creativity that is the first, and the very first Lagos Shopping Festival”.
Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed his appreciation to the sponsors of the Lagos Shopping Festival for their unwavering support to drive the story of Lagos commerce, entertainment and creativity.
“I want to thank all of our sponsors from FirstBank, to Zenith Bank, to Tolaram, to Smirnoff Ice, to Indomie Noodles, to OmniBiz, to PowerOil, to Minimie, and to Malta Guinness, all of them, including the Lagos State Government. I want to thank you”.
He also commended all the local and small businesses at the festival, and urged Lagosians and Nigerians to always patronize them.
“More importantly, to all the small businesses that are inside and under the canopies, go out there and make good deals. Go out there and do huge purchases from them. Go out there and make their small-scale market, work for them; because here, we want the market to be meeting all of the shoppers. That’s what this is all about. It’s about buying stuff at the most reduced market. It’s about entertainment, it’s about food, it’s about tourism. This is what Lagos has given to you again,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Also, commenting, the MD/ Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Africa, the organisers of the Lagos Shopping Festival, Mr Israel Jaiye Opayemi, buttressed the strategic significance of the festival saying, “LSF is poised to be the catalyst that will redefine the true essence of commerce, especially SME businesses, the creative ecosystem, and fun times with family, friends and loved one. LSF is sure set to open a new vista of socio-economic growth from Lagos, to Nigeria, whilst raising a unique bar in the African market”.
Fun-seekers and business men and women alike had entertainment value for their time, with dancing and singing competition with the winners adjudged by the audience receiving cash gifts. The highlight of the day was the energy-revving musical performances from the youthful Ayo Maff, with the soulful rendition of songs from Adekunle Gold the icing on the cake for the audience who kept singing along to his enchanting stage performances.
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