The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has arrested a member of a notorious one-chance syndicate, which deploys a painted commercial bus to rob unsuspecting passengers in the State.
The suspect, Toyib Ogunjobi and his accomplices had allegedly pushed a female passenger, Bibian Emelifonwu, out of their moving bus after stealing her phone on Monday
Fortunately, some LASTMA officials, who were overseeing traffic in the area, witnessed the incident and immediately pursued the fleeing bus.
While Ogunjobi was nabbed, his accomplices – a conductor and another passenger – escaped.
According to LASTMA spokesperson Adebayo Taofiq, Ogunjobi confessed during interrogation to leading a three-man syndicate, which includes the owner of the bus.
Ogunjobi revealed that their method involves luring passengers with low fares on the Costain-Ojota route, stealing their belongings, and then forcibly ejecting them from the moving bus.
He also admitted that the syndicate makes between N250,000 and N300,000 daily from selling stolen phones and other valuables.
“Ogunjobi further confessed that the syndicate generated between N250,000 and N300,000 daily by selling stolen phones and valuables. He also disclosed that similar One-Chance operations are proliferating across Lagos State, illustrating the pervasive nature of this criminal enterprise.
“Seven stolen phones, comprising models such as Techno Pop, Samsung AZZ, Intel A623, Techno Spark, Techno Pounoir, and Samsung devices, were recovered from Ogunjobi during his arrest. He also admitted that the vehicle’s owner was actively involved in the operation,” Adebayo said in a statement.