From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo
Ideally, it is the duty of police to facilitate human dignity, through upholding and protecting human rights, and the pursuit of happiness.
Unfortunately, much discord exists between the Police and members of the public due to ignorance of each other’s problems, limitations and civic responsibilities within the community to which they belong.
Interestingly, the good rapport between residents in Oyo, Ogbomoso and Oke-Ogun areas of Oyo State, and men of the Oyo/Ogbomoso Annex of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, (SARS) is unimaginable.
The people not only have implicit confidence in the robbery squad, but voluntarily offer their cooperation whenever the need arises.
This is due to demonstrable commitment at all times of the SARS men to deliver the best possible service, willingness to seek, listen to and act upon public opinion, as well as proper accountability whereby the anti-robbery squad men are properly answerable for what they do, and also where people with genuine grievances against them are accorded with quick and effective means of address.
For some time now, residents of Oyo metropolis in Oyo State have been under the siege of a syndicate that specialises in the stealing of goats.
The criminal group, which consists of able-bodied young men, usuallycarries out their nefarious acts through feeding the unsuspecting goats with a mixture of corns, beans and salt at midnight.
While the animals are eating this feeding mixture, the criminals are on standby to pick them one after the other, and their mouth sealed with cellotape, to prevent them from making noise. Thereafter, the animals would be packed into the awaiting vehicles for transportation to Lagos, where the market is readily available.
The market value for a goat is put at between N20,000 and N25,000, depending on the size.
However, nemesis caught up with some members of the syndicate when men of the Oyo/Ogbomoso annex of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), who were on patrol along Oyo/Ibadan Expressway intercepted two vehicles
loaded with 40 goats.
One of the recovered vehicles with the stolen goats and the
registration number LAGOS DL 135 GGE, was found on the expressway around 2:30a.m with three men inside it.
According to the Officer-in charge of SARS, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sola Aremu, suspicious movement of the vehicle compelled his men to be on its trail, pointing out that the moment those inside the vehicle noticed that police were on their trail, they increased the speed.
“The robber’s vehicle later ran into a big pothole and had flat tyre. Before we got there, they had escaped into the nearby bush. We combed and searched everywhere but could not find them. We went back to search the vehicle and found 26 goats cellotaped in the mouth, a local pistol, four rounds of cartridges and some wraps of Indian hemp. We took the vehicle to our office, and changed our operational vehicle to
make it difficult for easy identification by the criminals.”
DSP Aremu further hinted that on reaching the same spot, his men saw another vehicle with the registration number ABUJA BG 372 RSH, which also contained three men making calls inside it.
“Similar thing happened when they saw us, they zoomed off, in a very high speed towards Ibadan. Unfortunately for them, while attempting to negotiate the bend at Sasa, Ibadan end of the express way, they ran into a deep ditch. They immediately came out of their vehicle and started firing gunshot at us. In the ensuing battle, one of them was shot dead, while the two others escaped into the bush.”
He added that when the vehicle was searched, 14 goats were found cellotaped in the mouth, and some wraps of Indian hemp. The vehicle, he said, was later towed to the SARS office at Durbar, Oyo town.
Furthermore, activities of a seven-man car robbery syndicate in Oyo, Ogbomoso, Osogbo (Osun State) and Ilorin (Kwara State) had become so frightening and deadly that scores of residents were reported to have fallen to their bullets, after being dispossessed of their belongings.
The age category of these notorious gang members range between 20 and 25 years. Also, the sophistication of arms and
ammunition used in their dastardly operations is also worrisome to the defenceless residents.
Whenever they successfully carried out any operation, the syndicate ended up at a popular hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, to share both cash and other properties, including exotic cars snatched from the people at gunpoints.
Nemesis caught up with the robbers on May 2 this year when they robbed a retired military officer of his exotic Highlander Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) valued at N6.5million, at his residence in Ogbomoso .
Other items stolen include two laptops, jewelry, mobile phone and a bunch of keys belonging to the whole house.
The retired military officer felt unsafe and having listened to
advices from well-meaning individuals and friends, reported the matter to the Officer-in-Charge of Oyo/Ogbomoso annex of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Sola Aremu, at the squad main office located along Akinmoorin Road, Durbar, Oyo town.
Aremu and members of his team immediately swung into action, and after effective and thorough surveillance, burst into one of the suspected criminals’ hideouts in Ogbomoso, where a criminal suspect was arrested with the complainant’s stolen phone.
Interrogation of the suspect led to the arrest of another
member of the gang, a staff of the Power Holding Company (PHCN) in Ibadan.
Freedom Online learnt that following another tip off, SARS men were able to intercept the gang’s attempt to carry out an operation in Ogbomoso, as the criminals were arrested while a stolen Camry car, arms and ammunition were also recovered.
Information gathered from the gang members arrested, it was learnt, resulted in the interception and arrest of another ‘powerful’ member in Ibadan while attempting to escape to Lagos.
He was said to have engaged SARS men in a tough battle which lasted for almost an hour before being eventually overpowered. One of the SARS men was said to be receiving treatment at an hospital for sustaining injury in his left eye while the battle lasted.
Confession of the ‘powerful’ member of the gang led to the arrest of leader of the gang, Dapo, popularly known as ‘Dapson’.
About five stolen vehicles, including that of the retired military officer were recovered from Dapo after his arrest at a popular hotel in Ikeja, Lagos by men of the anti-robbery squad.
A total of 13 stolen vehicles were recovered from the gang.
Confirming the incidents, O/c SARS, Sola Aremu, further hinted that the notorious gang killed a medical doctor at Takie, Ilorin, Kwara State, in one of their operations.
According to him, “The medical doctor was about to open the gate of his house after returning from the day’s work when the gang opened fire and killed him. They took away his two vehicles after killing him’’.
Joy, however, knew no bound, both for residents of Oyo and Ogbomoso towns when they trooped out in their thousands to catch a glimpse at the stolen vehicles recovered and gallantly driven by energetic, hardworking and dedicated officers and men of SARS to their main office in Oyo town.
The uprightness and openness of the Officer-in Charge of SARS, Sola Aremu, led to his single-handedly constructing the new office complex for the robbery squad.
The courtesy, efficiency, effectiveness, impartiality, tact, temper and tolerance of these SARS men were further amplified by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, and the former State Chief Judge, Justice Adeniji Badejoko, during the commissioning of the new
office complex of the anti-robbery squad in Oyo town.
Acknowledging their politeness and courteousness in the discharge of duties, Justice Badejoko noted that as public servants, success of SARS men can only be determined by the cooperation they receive and respect they get from the public they serve.
“My association with SARS was dated back to 1977 when I was working in the Department of Public Prosecution. My driver used my car for kabukabu and was snatched by robbers at gun point. I immediately phoned SARS men, and the stolen vehicle recovered less than 24 hours.
Also, there was a robbery in front of my house, as there were sporadic gunshots. Residents panicked and trembled with fear. I summoned the courage and called SARS men on phone. You can’t believe it, some of
the robbers were gunned down on the spot, while the few others apprehended later in the day. They are indeed hardworking, committed and determined. What is needed is for the government to provide devices and enabling environment for the robbery squad to perform optimally.”
While extolling the virtue of officer in charge of SARS, Aremu, who she described as a role model to be
emulated, the ex-Chief Judge also lauded his initiative and sense of commitment which resulted in the construction of a new office complex.
The representative of the Alaafin, and the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Ayoola Layinka I, expressed satisfaction at the performance of SARS men, saying that “their unalloyed sense of devotion resulted in overwhelming support by the people, hence the need to sustain the tempo.
