Police Arraign Syndicate Members Who Attacked Lagos Journalist in Court
…Recover Stolen Phone, Others.
Members of a gang who drugged and robbed a Lagos-based journalist were arraigned at the Customary Court Ejigbo on Monday. The police brought the suspects before the judge on two counts of felony and theft. After the hearing, the judge remanded the suspects in prison and adjourned the case until October 23 for further proceedings.
Meanwhile, the victim, Mr. Abayomi Ajiboye, a journalist with Newsbustang.com, an online TV platform, has recounted his harrowing experience on August 22.
According to him, he was drugged by a three-man syndicate who robbed him of his phone while he was commuting from Oshodi to Isheri-Oshun in the Ijegun area of Lagos at around 5:00 PM.
Describing his ordeal, Ajiboye explained that he had boarded a commercial bus from Oshodi and was enjoying his favorite snack of roasted corn and pear. He shared the snack with the person sitting next to him, who expressed interest. While they chatted, one of the syndicate embers offered him a sachet of water, which he accepted, believing it was an act of kindness. However, he lost consciousness shortly after drinking it.
As they approached Jakande Gate at Oke-Afa Isolo, Ajiboye felt increasingly dizzy and struggled to stay awake, unaware that the gang members were observing his condition. Ronald Eyam, one of the suspects, asked to borrow Ajiboye’s Samsung Note10+ phone to contact his brother. To Ajiboye’s dismay, Ronald withheld the phone for several minutes until they reached his bus stop, during which time he could barely hold himself together.
Upon reaching his stop, the three suspects—Ronald Eyam, 29; Uche Mathew, 30; and one John exited the bus with him, appearing to be ordinary passengers. In his disoriented state, Ajiboye noticed that Uche was trying to take a half bag of rice he had brought home for his family. Alarmed, he called a passerby to summon police officers from the Isheri-Oshun Divisional Police Station, who quickly came to his aid.
During questioning by a police officer known as Agoro, Uche Mathew confessed that the gang had traveled from the Maza-Maza and Alaba Rago areas of Lagos to commit the crime. The case was promptly transferred to the CP Tactical Squad Ijegun Annex, led by SP Aduroja Olurotimi.
Upon arrival at Ijegun, SP Aduroja directed Inspector Ozabor Friday, Inspector Odia Osamupiamen, Inspector Ebho Mathins, and Sergeant Durosinmi Sunday—known as Currency—to take immediate action to recover Ajiboye’s phone.
During interrogation, suspect Ronald Eyam made a confession, admitting that they were part of a syndicate and that it was the second operation he had participated in, which had failed to yield the expected results.
Following the proactive example of the newly elevated Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fayoade Adegoke, who has demonstrated professionalism in combating crime, Inspector Friday and his team launched an investigation in the Alaba Rago and Ojo areas.
Upon arriving at the phone market in Alaba Rago, the presence of the officers caused vendors to flee, raising suspicions about the activities in that section of the market. However, the police were quick to apprehend the other two gang members at their residence in a nearby ghetto, along with the receiver of Ajiboye’s Samsung Note10+ phone.
While explaining their methods, the suspects revealed that they mixed illicit drugs, including Lexotan, to incapacitate their victims based on their operating locations.
Ajiboye stated that the officers’ diligent interrogation not only led to the recovery of his phone but also initiated further prosecution regarding the 250,000 Naira that went missing from his pocket during the incident on that fateful day.
