Police arrest suspected one-chance robbers after woman is pushed from moving vehicle

The Nigeria Police Force in Edo State has arrested four suspected members of a one-chance robbery syndicate operating along the Benin-Agbor Expressway after a woman was allegedly pushed out of a moving vehicle during a robbery.

The command said the suspects were arrested on Monday following a distress call that Joy Osaghae, a woman from Agbor, Delta State, had been pushed out of a moving vehicle at about 8 a.m.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday, the police said a joint team of operatives pursued the suspects from the scene to Igbanke, where they allegedly abandoned their vehicle and fled into a nearby forest.

The police said the operatives subsequently arrested all four suspects.

One-chance robbery involves criminals who disguise themselves as commercial transport operators, lure passengers into their vehicles and rob them.

The police identified the suspects as Joy Moses, 29, of Warri, Delta State; Kalu Iro, 32, of Rivers State; Friday Chinedu, 37, of Isede Street, Agbor, Delta State; and Chiemela John, 35, of Ogbor Hill, Aba, Abia State.

The command said the victim had identified all four suspects as the people who robbed her.

Exhibits recovered

According to the statement, the police recovered a Volkswagen Passat wagon with registration number RLG 19 KA, which they said was used in the operation.

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Other items recovered included 11 mobile phones, a power bank, ₦125,550 in cash and several bags arranged in the vehicle’s boot.

The police said the bags were arranged to make the vehicle appear to be a commercial vehicle carrying passengers between Benin City and Agbor, thereby deceiving unsuspecting commuters.

The command said the Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daaor, had directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a thorough investigation.

Mr Daaor commended the officers involved in the operation and the collaboration among the Wabazigan Patrol Team, Abudu and Igbanke police teams, the Edo State Security Corps and other security personnel.

The police said the command remained committed to tackling criminal activities on highways and protecting road users.