The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three men suspected to be members of a dreaded syndicate, ‘One Million’ in the Badagry area of the state.
The suspects, Idris Abdulganiyu, Sodiq Yinusa and Azeez Ajadi, were arrested by the Area K Command, Morogbo, in their attempt to rob a church in the J4 area of Seme, Badagry area, during a vigil penultimate Friday.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP, Fatai Owoseni, who confirmed the arrest on Thursday, said the police recovered a double-barrelled locally-made pistol and a toy gun from the suspects.
Owoseni added that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.
A police source told The Punch that other gang members fled the scene before the policemen arrived in the area, adding that ‘One Million boys’ members usually lurked in the night to attack pedestrians and gatherings such as parties.
According to the source, “When they were arrested at the church, they claimed to have lost their transport fare. But how could three men move from Okokomaiko to Seme, Badagry, without having transport fare?
“They initially drank and lurked in the area till 11pm when it was most conducive for them to strike. Then they stormed the church.
“We are still looking for other gang members. It was with the help of the vigilance group that the suspects were arrested,” the source disclosed.
One of the suspects, 25-year-old Ajadi said they ran out of transport fare after they visited their friend in the area, and they decided to go to the church to solicit transport fare when the policemen arrested them.
He, however, denied being a member of ‘One Million’ boys.
Ajadi said, “I am not a One Million boys’ member. The tattoos on my body are just for fashion. The two others and I went to visit our friends in the area, and we ran out of transport money.
“It was around 11pm. We were stranded and we did not know where to turn to for help. Fortunately, we saw a church holding a vigil and we decided to go there.
“A man was bathing in a shed near the church. We explained our plight to him, instead, he ran away and alerted a vigilance group that brought the police to arrest us,” the suspect added.
On his part, 22-year-old Yinusa, an indigene of Ede, Osun State, said, “I do not know where the police brought these guns. I dropped out of secondary school, and I am learning a trade. We had gone to the J4 area to see a friend, not for robbery.
“My parents are at home in Seme. They have warned me not to call them again. They are afraid of the police,” Yinusa added.
