‘I was introduced to car snatching under Mile 2 bridge’

A 25-year-old member of a car-snatching syndicate, Francis Abubakar, has confessed to be a robber, saying he was introduced to the crime when he was sleeping under the bridge at Mile 2 in Lagos.

The Lagos police command said Abubakar was arrested along the Mile 2-Badagry expressway while he was attempting to snatch a Peugeot 305 salon car from its owner at gun-point.

The police said that the suspect told interrogators that most of the crimes committed at the Mile 2, Maza-Maza and Alakija areas were planned under the Mile 2 bridge.

Abubakar was said to have disclosed there were different criminal gangs operating from the bridge under the control of those he described as “bad boys”, who ensured the small fry like Abubakar got bail anytime the police arrested them.

The suspect said, “I grew up in Ajegunle but chose to live on the streets because education was boring, especially with teachers flogging those who failed to do their homework. At the school complex at Tolu where I dropped out, many of us stayed away from class during school hours.

“We usually met by the canal behind the school complex at the Tin-Can Island port first gate. Some of us would be gambling, while others would be smoking all manner of drugs. I left home two years ago. I was attracted to the boys who helped transporters scout for passengers travelling to the east. I followed some to under the bridge when it was getting too late. I had to part with some money before I was allowed to sleep on top of one of the pillars supporting the bridge.

“To me, it was too good to be free and to decide to do whatever I wanted without any sanction. I was introduced first into pocket-picking by one Tunde, a notorious criminal at Mile 2. I later moved on into selling petrol stolen from pipelines. Vandals bring them in jerry cans. They keep them in our custody and give us few jerry cans instead of money. I make more money selling petrol to commercial bus drivers.

“I made so much money, but the police took away everything from me when I was arrested, along with some others. They had come very early in the morning to raid us under the bridge at Maza Maza. I met one Taiwo who introduced me into car snatching. We sold cars stolen at give- away prices to auto spare parts dealers.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, who confirmed the arrest, said detectives from the Anti-Crime Patrol Unit, Satellite police station, arrested Abubakar while foiling an attempt by a car-snatching syndicate to snatch a Peugeot 307 salon car at the Mosalashi area, along the Lagos/Badagry expressway, Mile 2.

“One locally made shotgun was recovered from the suspect. The Peugeot 307 was also recovered and handed over to the owner. SARS has taken over the case with a view of apprehending other members of the gang. Investigation is ongoing,” Elkana added.