Fuel Subsidy Removal Pushed Me into Robbery – Driver

A 29 years -old bolt driver, Adeniran Jeremiah arrested for alleged armed robbery has blamed the increase in fuel pump price caused by Fuel Subsidy removal to is actions.

Jeremiah was arrested by Lagos State Police Command for leading a three-man gang of robbers, who specialised in robbing night crawlers, especially ladies has blamed his woes to hardships caused by fuel subsidy removal.

The last operation was an attack on a lady, who was disposed of undisclosed amount of money, phones and other personal effects on her way to the peopular Fela shrine.

However luck ran against Jerimiah a bolt driver when he was recognize by the victim who met him while shopping in a mini supermaarket and raised the alarm.

Jeremiah ,who was paraded yesterday among other suspects, by Lagos State Commissioner of Police at Police headquarters, Ikeja, Saturday Sun how he went into the business of robbery.

Hear him:”I am a accounting graduate a University in the Republic of Benin. I took to bolt driving because of lack of jobs, but I was able to take care of my bills until the recent removal of fuel subsidy andfuel pump price rose to unaffordable level.

“After things bacame hard and unbearable for me, I decided to join another company called Rider. Thinking I would get relieve from rider company, yet the increase in fuel pump price continue to soar from N400 to almost N600, so , I was working hand to mouth.

“It was then that I started thinking of different approach to business to alliviate my suffering .It was while I was thinking on what to do to meet up with my daily target, that the devil sold the idea of robbing passengers to . I contacted two of friends and told them my idea and they who aligned with me the the idea was beautiful.

“We strategized on how we would carry out our operations.My gang members, would pose as passengers in the vehicle ,while I would pretend as if I don’t know them. So when we arrived to a lonely place, I would pretend that I had a flat tyre, so I would alight from the car, pretending to be checking the faulty tyre, there and them, my guys, who were armed would order me to go to the back of the vehicle. They would also did same to our victim, but when the victims resisted, I would join hands with my guys to deal with the victims to submission. We e started robbery operations one month ago, and we have made up to N 2.10million because we have so far shared N 700,000 each.

We used to collect expensive phones and other personal effects.

“We don’t rob any person we see on the road, we size up our targets and the most vulnerable are the ladies, who visits clubs at night. On the fateful day I was arrested, I narrowly escaped being lynched if not for the divine intervention of good Nigerians, who pleaded that I should be handed over to the police. I went to shopping in a mini supermarket in Ikotun ,where a female victim we robbed penultimate Friday, recognized me and raise the alarm that I was among the people who robbed her. I was not masked during the robbery operation, so she recognized me and I couldn’t deny it, but God spaire my life as I was immediately taken to the police station.

“My regret is that I was impatient as I was on the fast lane to beat the economic hardship imposed on us by the fuel subsidy removal. My advice to the youths, is that they should be patient to see if the government will give us palliative, but to be candid, taxi drivers, especially Uber, Bolt and Riders, are not finding the fuel subsidy removal funny as we don’t make gains and we can’t take care of our daily needs.”

Lagos State Police Public Relation Officer(PPRO), SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who represented Commissioner of Police, Mr.Idowu Owohunwa, said the suspect was arrested July 17, 2023 when a lady who booked a ride from Ikotun and the gang robbed her of some money and other belongings.

Hundeyin, however, warned passengers to be careful of the kind of vehicle they board at night, as robbers masquerade as drivers, adding,”once a driver stops at a lonely place at night and begin to tell stories of vehicle breakdown, know that danger may be lurking around and know whether it is possible to raise the alarm, but with the newly launched operation flush ,our tactical units are flushing criminals out of the state”.