By Ola Ajayi

Ibadan-Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspected armed robbers who claimed to be children of soldiers
during an operation at Tinuoye Estate, Ojoo area of Ibadan.

The suspects were identified by the command as Mohammed Shuaib(21) from Adamawa State, John Abah (21)from Benue State and Emmanuel James Nazim(21), a 100 level University of Maiduguri student who allegedly finished from Command Secondary School, Odogbo, Ibadan.

Mohammed and John also said they attended Command Secondary School and Army Secondary School, Odogbo, Ibadan, respectively.

Speaking with newsmen while parading the gang that had allegedly been terrorising residents of Ibadan, the state police commissioner, Mr. Adisa Baba Bolanta, said luck ran out on them on January 15 when they were robbing residents of the estate.

He listed two locally made revolver pistols, six .9mm live ammunition, facial mask, jewelries and three army belts as items recovered from the suspected robbers.
One of the suspects, John, confessed that he was one of those caught while robbing some people of their belongings.

Asked how they were caught, he explained that when they were about robbing a woman, she shouted and attracted the attention of the residents in the area who swooped on them and used machete on them. While they were lying unconscious, the police came and rounded them up.

According to him, he was led into robbery when he could not make ends meet. He noted that the block industry where he worked as an operator was not doing fine.

Also paraded with the suspects was a middle aged man, Adebare Balogun who was alleged to be impersonating the PSO to the inspector general of police.

But, the suspect denied the alleged impersonation saying how could he, who is handicapped, pose as a CP? He said, “It is a lie. My younger brother was arrested and I went to the police station to see him.

When I got there, there was argument between the policeman and me. In the process, he called his boss and said I was impersonating his CP. They brought me from Oyo town to this place.  Call him and let him face me. See, I am lame. How reasonable does the allegation sound? I cannot run if there is any problem, how could I escape”.

His claim was contrary to that of CP who said the suspect called him on phone and introduced himself as Yinka Balogun, PSO to the inspector general of police.