According to the Lagos State Police Command, a 35-year-old passenger who attempted to steal an airport taxi from a driver has been taken into custody.
The arrest was verified on Wednesday in Lagos by Mr. Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s spokesperson.
According to Hundeyin, the taxi driver reported the matter to the Alausa Police Division on June 11 at approximately 1:40 a.m.
He cited that the driver stated at about 1:20 a.m. on June 11, while on driving service in the Chevron area of Ajah, he was stopped by the suspect posing as a passenger.
He clarified that the taxi driver as saying that the suspect asked to be taken to the shrine in Agidigbi, Alausa area of Ikeja, and after they agreed on a fare, they began their journey to the destination.
“On getting to the Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, by 7UP Alausa Ikeja, the suspect, who was sitting beside him, suddenly brought out a knife from his bag and attacked him in an attempt to snatch his Toyota Camry car.
“In the process, the driver sustained a deep knife cut on his hand while trying to struggle with the suspect.
“He quickly raised an alarm, and some good Nigerians came to his rescue, while the suspect took to his heels.
”However, after a hot chase, he was later arrested by Anti-Crime team of Alausa police division,” he said.
According to Hundeyin, the car was brought to the station along with the suspect as exhibit while investigation was ongoing.
Hundeyin said the phony soldier was apprehended by Ilemba Hausa Division operatives last Friday at roughly 5:45 p.m. while they were conducting a surveillance patrol on Jinadu Street in Ajangbadi.
He said the suspect was riding a black, unregistered motorcycle and was fully clothed in an army camouflage suit when he was taken into custody.
The spokesperson also stated that the suspect abandoned the motorcycle and started running after he saw the policemen, but they pursued him and took him into custody.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is not a soldier, and the army camouflage uniform belongs to his friend, who is a military personnel serving in Maiduguri,” he said.
