Extortion is better than stealing, says suspect

A suspect arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, has said that he prefers extorting motorists than stealing.

The suspect, Bayo Folayemi, 27, said that he went into the streets and mingled with some street urchins, in terrorizing motorists into parting with money after his brother kicked out of his home.

 According to him, extortion was the only means of survival he knows about.

The suspect, who said that forceful extortion from truck and lorry drivers was his only means of survival, added: “Although I learnt rewiring profession, I couldn’t finish the job because my brother who brought me to Lagos sent me out of his home to cater for myself. Since then, things had been difficult for me. I chose to join street urchins because I didn’t want to be a thief.”

The suspect was arrested by the RRS on February 9, 2016, along Apapa Expressway, where he and his gang members were allegedly terrorizing truck and lorry drivers.

The suspect lives under the Mile 2 Bridge, Apapa, with some of his gang members. They used to rob innocent residents of their wallet and other.

The victim, Chukwudi Odum, said that his trailer, carrying a container broke down. He was repairing the trailer when the suspect and his cronies appeared from nowhere.

Odum said: “The two area boys, including the suspect demanded for money. I told them they should allow me to finish repairing the vehicle before giving them anything. They didn’t agree. The suspect started to rough handle me. He and his friends dragged on the ground. One of them, who were pulling me from behind, dipped his hands into my back pocket and removed my wallet and ran away. The wallet contained N4, 500.”

The victim continued his narration. “When I noticed that my wallet had been stolen, I held tight to the suspect who was still dragging my trousers. I raised the alarm. I shouted for help, attracting passersby. Immediately, the RRS Policemen who were on patrol duty rushed to the scene. They arrested Folayomi, but others escaped.”

Folayomi, who appeared angry that Odum was making mountain out of a molehill, snarled: “I was only demanding for a stipend from him because of hunger. I didn’t know his purse had been removed. I only know the guy in the Mile 2 area, but we’re not working together.”

The suspect was said to have been transferred to Lagos State Task Force on Environment for further investigation.