Residents apprehend alleged thief terrorising Gberigbe in Ikorodu 

By Bose Adelaja 

CITIZENS COMPASS —Residents of Gberigbe in Ikorodu Division, Lagos State have apprehended an alleged thief, Adewale Jamiu terrorising their community. 

He has been handed to the Police in the Imota Division which has transferred the suspect to the Adamo Division due to the nature of the crime. 

Before his apprehension on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, Gberigbe community had experienced series of thefts which had taken place at nights such that the residents could not sleep with their eyes closed. 

Some residents who spoke with Citizens Compass said they had lost valuables like ipads, mobile phones, bags and other items while they were asleep. 

They said that all attempts to apprehend the perpetrators were unsuccessful until Wednesday, last week when one of them was apprehended. 

According to them the modus operandi was that the suspects go about with long sticks, rakes and touch lights and distribute themselves to various locations in Gberigbe during operations. 

However, nemesis caught up with Jamiu while attempting to steal a mobile phone. Unfortunately for him, the owner woke up from sleep and alerted other neighbours who joined to apprehended him. 

One of the residents, Samuel Adeoti said the thefts usually take place between 2a.m and 4a.m when many residents are fast asleep. 

Another resident, Gboyega Adebesin said he lost three phones to thefts within three weeks. 

In a video clip monitored by Citizens Compass, Jamiu claimed he had been terrorising the area alongside two others and all of them came all the way from Ijora-Badiya. 

He claimed his father is a former landlord in the Mase, Gberigbe but had relocated to Oworo after putting up the house for sale. 

He said, “I am Adewale Jamiu, a resident of Ijora-Badiya, by Railway. We are three in number ; Samson, Ayinla and I and we all live in the same area. 

“I stole two phones today but both with my personal phone have been passed to Samson and Ayinla who escaped on noticing the burble burst,”

Asked what they do with the stolen property, he responded, “We have a readymade buyer who is a landlord in Ijora-Badiya. “ He said. 

As at the time of filing this report, a senior officer in the Adamo Division said investigations were ongoing. 

Spokesman, Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, did not respond to messages by Citizens Compass.