₦airaland Forum

By Evelyn Usman

LAGOS— Damilola Taju, 20, member of a three-man robbery gang, arrested by policemen attached to Ikorodu Division, Lagos, for allegedly attacking market women, has blamed his criminal tendencies on frustration.

Meanwhile, the bag they stole from the lady, who alerted policemen that arrested him, contained only sanitary pads. And the lady also hit him on his only good eye, making him pass out temporarily.

Taju, a Lagos State-born, lamented that he tried his hands on several menial jobs without luck. He claimed to have approached one of his friends, Haruna Abolaji, for financial assistance, only to be introduced to robbery. Unfortunately for him, he was arrested on his first day of robbery.

Vanguard gathered that the suspect went to Ogolonto area of Ikorodu in the company of three other persons at 4a.m., where they laid ambush for women who usually leave early for market.

They were alleged to have succeeded in dispossessing two women of cash and other valuables. They met their Waterloo after the third victim, who they collected her hand bag, raised the alarm that alerted an anti-crime patrol team.

The lady was said to have held on to Taju, until the arrival of the policemen. Haruna was arrested, too, while the third suspect, identified simply as Kazeem, escaped.

‘I was frustrated’
Expressing remorse over his action, Taju disclosed that when the bag snatched from the third victim was searched, it was discovered to contain only the lady’s sanitary pad.

The teary Taju said: “Frustration pushed me into this. Everybody I approached for financial assistance gave one excuse or the other. Some even called me a lazy man.

“Even on this day in question, I stood by to watch while they were robbing. I was just there to understudy the strategy.

“After snatching two bags, I begged them for us to leave, but they said we will not leave until they get five victims.

“Unfortunately, when the third lady started shouting, she held my trousers. I struggled hard to free myself from her and even hit her. She then hit me on my only good eye.

“As you can see, my other eye is bad. I passed out temporarily and by the time I regained consciousness, policemen were there.

“The most painful aspect was that when the lady’s bag was opened, it was just her sanitary pads and N20 that were inside. She was not even with a phone.”

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, who confirmed the arrest to journalists, explained that Taju and his likes were arrested following intensified patrol around Ojota, Oregun, Anthony and Oshodi axis.

Opistorincos:
Iron lady awon ti KO chilling

IVORY2009:
Lolz, bro wen a woman hold ur trouser, forget it...