By Eric Elezuo

The Police in Lagos have arrested and paraded 29-year-old bolt driver, Adeniran Jeremiah, for alleged armed robbery, who confessed that the increase in fuel pump prices caused by Fuel Subsidy removal was responsible for his joining a gang of armed robbers.

Jeremiah was arrested by the Lagos State Police Command following the launch of Operation Flush by the Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, to mitigate poockets of crime in the metropolis. Team lead of a three-man gang of robbers who specialised in robbing night crawlers, especially ladies, Jeremiah blamed his woes on hardships caused by fuel subsidy removal.

His waterloo occurred during their last operation on a lady, who was disposed of a huge amount of money, phones, and other personal effects on her way to the popular Afrika Shrine.

However, luck ran against Jerimiah, when he was recognised by the victim, who met him while shopping in a mini supermarket and raised an alarm.

Jeremiah, during his parade at the Police Headquarters, Ikeja, explained how he got into the business of robbery to members of the press.

The suspect responded as follows to various questions posed by press:

“I am an accounting graduate from North American University, Cotonou, the Republic of Benin. I took to Bolt driving because of a lack of jobs, but I was able to take care of my bills, making about 15 trips daily, until the recent removal of fuel subsidy and the rise in fuel pump prices made life unbearable.

“After things became hard and unbearable for me, I decided to join another company called Rider. Thinking I would get relief from the rider company, yet the increase in fuel pump price continued to soar from N400 to almost N600, so I was working hand to mouth.

“It was then that I started thinking of different approaches to business to alleviate my suffering. It was while I was thinking about what to do to meet up with my daily target that the devil sold me the idea of robbing passengers. I contacted two of my friends and told them my idea, and they agreed with me that the idea was beautiful.

“We strategized on how we would carry out our operations. My gang members would pose as passengers in the vehicle, while I would pretend as if I didn’t know them. So when we arrived at a lonely place, I would pretend that I had a flat tyre, so I would alight from the car, pretending to be checking the faulty tyre, and then my guys, who were armed, would order me to go to the back of the vehicle. They would also do the same to our victim, but when the victim resisted, I would join hands with my guys to force the victim to submission. We started robbery operations one month ago, and we have made up to N2.1 million because we have so far shared N700,000 each.

We used to collect expensive phones and other personal effects.

“We don’t rob any person we see on the road; we size up our targets, and the most vulnerable are the ladies, who visit clubs at night. On the fateful day I was arrested, I narrowly escaped being lynched if not for the divine intervention of good Nigerians, who pleaded that I should be handed over to the police. I went shopping in a mini supermarket in Ikotun, where a female victim we robbed penultimate Friday recognized me and raised the alarm that I was among the people who robbed her.

I was not masked during the robbery operation, so she recognized me, and I couldn’t deny it, but God saved my life as I was immediately taken to the police station.

“My regret is that I was impatient, as I was in the fast lane to beat the economic hardship imposed on us by the fuel subsidy removal. My advice to the youths is that they should be patient to see if the government will give us palliative, but to be candid, taxi drivers, especially Uber, Bolt, and Riders, are not finding the fuel subsidy removal funny as we don’t make gains and we can’t take care of our daily needs.”

The Lagos State Police Commissioner, who spoke through the Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Benjamin Hundeyin, however, warned passengers to be careful of the kind of vehicle they board at night, as robbers masquerade as drivers.

“Once a driver stops at a lonely place at night and begins to tell stories of vehicle breakdown, know that danger may be lurking around and know whether it is possible to raise the alarm. Ensure to insist that they stop at the next checkpoint or where there are people,” he said.