By Abimbola Ogunnaike
An e-hailing driver in Lagos State, Jeremiah Adeniran, arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, has disclosed that hardship caused by the removal of the fuel subsidy pushed him into robbing his passengers of their valuables in the state.
Adeniran also revealed how he used to decline ride orders from men so he could rob his female passengers.
The suspect, who claimed to be a graduate of Accounting from the North American University, said on Friday, 4 August, 2023 that he usually connived with two yet-to-be-identified friends to perpetrate the crime.
Speaking during a parade of suspects at the police command headquarters in Ikeja on Friday, 4 August, 2023 he said he had made a total of N700,000 from the act. He said he was arrested in Ikotun after his last operation, noting that he and his accomplices usually targeted female passengers.
“When I get a man, I will decline the ride. I started last month and my first operation was on July 28, but I did two other operations this month and I was caught last Friday at Ikotun after I picked a lady along Ijegun Road a few minutes after 1am.
“She was going to the New Afrika Shrine. Immediately I picked her, I already told my two friends to stay by the road since I know where she is going. So, I picked both of them and they started the operation with the lady,” Adeniran said.
Narrating how he was arrested, he said the phone seized from the lady led to his arrest.
He stated, “How I was arrested was that the phone we collected was with one of my friends and immediately I entered a shop in Ikotun, I saw the lady I picked on Friday night and instantly she recognised me and I was arrested and taken to Ikotun Police Station.”
Adeniran, who said he and his accomplices had robbed no fewer than four victims, urged youths in the country to be patient and earn money through legitimate means.
He added, “This is not a good place for a responsible child to be. It was not the government. Before, I was doing my normal e-hailing ride and then I could do 15 trips every day and would make good money, but because of fuel subsidy and all, the work was not just going well any longer.
“From the outset, it wasn’t my plan to do this, but I did not have a choice as of then. During the fuel subsidy removal, I have been complaining and really wanted to stop this and I was already compiling my CV. I am married with a child.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, while parading Adeniran alongside other suspects on behalf of the state Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, said efforts were on to arrest the fleeing accomplices.
He also noted that Adeniran was arrested while attempting to sell the items he stole during the robbery at the BRT Market in Ikotun. He added that his operational Toyota Camry Saloon car and a knife were recovered from him.
