The Police Command in Lagos State has announced the arrest of a 35-year-old passenger who attempted to snatch an airport taxi from its driver.
Mr. Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson of the command, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
Hundeyin said that the case was reported to the Alausa Police Division on June 11 at about 1:40 a.m. by the taxi driver.
He explained that the driver reported that at about 1:20 a.m. on June 11, while he was on a driving service in the Chevron area of Ajah, he was stopped by the suspect, who pretended to be a passenger.
He quoted the taxi driver as saying that the suspect requested that he take him to the shrine in Agidigbi, Alausa area of Ikeja, and after agreeing on the fare, they both started the 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 the anti-crime team of Alausa Police Division,” he said.
Hundeyin said that the suspect was taken to the station with the car as an exhibit, while investigation was ongoing.
He added that in another development, a 28-year-old man who had been parading himself as a military personnel with the uniform of his friend serving in Maiduguri was arrested for impersonation.
Hundeyin said that the fake soldier was arrested last Friday at about 5:45 p.m. by operatives from Ilemba Hausa Division while on surveillance patrol at Jinadu Street, Ajangbadi.
He said that the suspect was fully dressed in complete army camouflage uniform riding a black unregistered motorcycle when he was arrested.
The spokesperson said that on sighting the policemen, the suspect abandoned the motorcycle and took to his heels, but the officers gave him chase and arrested him.
“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.
