Joy Anyim
The operatives of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS), a unit of the Lagos State Police Command, have arrested two suspects, who specialised in vandalising vehicles and stealing their brain boxes.
The suspects, Musa Sodiq, 28, and Atiku Saidu, 34, were arrested at No. 27 Awolowo Road, Ikeja, with three Toyota vehicle brain boxes, while the third member of the gang, Adamu Ridwan, escaped with the fourth box.
Sodiq claimed he was a graduate of Political Science from a Nigerian University, but that he came to Lagos in 2017 in search of greener pasture.
“I worked in Lagos as a barbeque man in various hotels and events, before I met Ridwan who introduced me to brain box theft, he also taught me all the antics and styles.”
“We use ‘magic stone’ thaa t is, a vehicle spark plug to break vehicle windows without attracting attention. It takes two minutes to lose a Toyota Hiace bus brain box and it takes four minutes to lose a Toyota Hilux box.
“The spark plug reduces the noise and effects quick break of any vehicle window, and we plug it in a handkerchief, in a situation where we have multiple vehicles to work on, ” he revealed.
Making a further confessional statement to the operatives, Sodiq said that Saidu was a security guard who works for a company located on that street where they were arrested, and had earlier in the day called Ridwan, the gang leader, to come feast on vehicles belonging to their company.
“ Saidu told Ridwan that the vehicles were parked outside the company’s premises but that he, Saidu is supposed to guard them, ” he said.
On getting the hint, Ridwan and Sodiq set to action and got to the venue around 1:00 a.m. They broke into two Toyota Hiace and two Toyota Hilux belonging to the company, stealing their brain boxes.
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They were however unfortunate as another security guard who saw the gang nearby raised alarm, which led to their arrest. Sodiq was caught with three boxes, while Ridwan fled with one.
Sodiq was thereafter taken to RRS Headquarters, where he confessed the involvement of Saidu. He disclosed that Saidu invited them for the operation.
Sodiq gives details of their operation, saying, “We specialize in stealing Toyota brain boxes because they fetch good money in the market. The demand for them is higher than any other brand. For example, we sold a Toyota Hiace brain box for N40,000 while that of Toyota Hilux goes for N20,000 respectively”.
“Ridwan connects with the buyers of the brain boxes who he claimed are from the popular spare part market, Ladipo in Lagos. We always meet the buyers outside the market where we exchange our loots for cash.
“ They usually pay in cash and will never wait more than two minutes as we already have an understanding of the prices. Ridwan gives me 40% of whatever we make from the sale of our loots. He has never disclosed where we were to carry out our next operation because he feels he is my boss.
“ Our target areas are usually night clubs where people come with different types of vehicles. We strike between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. when most of the clubbers would have started enjoying themselves. ”
The suspects also confessed to have stolen two boxes at a popular night club in Lekki, another at Ogunlana Drive, and Allen Avenue in Ikeja.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu in his reaction to the incident directed the transfer of the case e to State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba.
Muazu also advised Lagosians who patronize the(RRS) the State to be extra careful while enjoying themselves and leaving their vehicles parked where it’s not safe.
