A dismissed policeman identified as Usman Zubairu, has been arrested for the alleged theft or motorcycles from unsuspecting riders in Lagos.
According to Punch Metro, Zubairu who was dismissed from the police service in 2014, reportedly carried out his operations while pretending to still be in full service.
However, Zubairu was finally apprehended during an attempt to carry out the same trick on another motorcyclist.
One of the victims, Chinda Ayuba, disclosed that he had agreed to release his motorcycle to Zubairu because he thought the suspect was a policeman.
He stated, “A man stopped my motorcycle and introduced himself as a policeman. He told me to take him to Ijora from the Maroko area of Lagos, and I told him that I could not go there. He begged me to help him and promised that no policeman would arrest me.
“While on our way, he saw two boys and asked me to stop. He asked the boys what happened and they explained that some policemen had seized their motorcycles. He asked the boys to give him N1,000 each in order to assist them to get their motorcycles back. He then collected my motorcycle and asked me to wait with the two boys. I waited till sunset but he did not come back with my motorcycle.”
According to another victim, Abdulmalik Isah, Zubairu reportedly identified himself as a mobile policeman and has taken him to Maroko Police Station where his motorcycle was later stolen.
The 26-year-old stated, “He claimed to be a mobile policeman and made me to take him to the Maroko Police Station. On getting there, he asked me to follow him inside, which I did.
“He told me to wait for him at the station that he wanted to buy something outside. After some time, I decided to come out to check my motorcycle and I could not find it where it was parked. I waited from 2pm till 6pm before I made a report at the police station.”
Isah went on to say that Zubairu was finally arrested and handed over to the police during an attempt to steal another motorcycle from a rider in his area.
While being questioned, the suspect who hails from Adamawa State, admitted that he went into stealing as a means of survival since his dismissal from the police force.
Zubairu said, “I was recruited to the Nigeria Police Force in 2001 and I was later mobilised to the Mopol 9 Squadron in Kano State. In 2014, I killed a man while on duty and I was dismissed. I was charged to court for murder and while I was awaiting trial in prison, the family of the deceased decided to withdraw the case from the court in 2017.
“I came to Lagos in August 2018 and because I didn’t have a means of livelihood, I started stealing and re-selling motorcycles.
“I have stolen about four motorcycles and I sell the motorcycles to one Yerima at Tin Can, Apapa, Lagos. I only get to see Yerima between 3.30am and 4.30am, because he is always on night duty.”
Zubairu has now been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on two counts of stealing.
