I’m a tricycle snatcher, not armed robber’

Emmanuel Godwin

Operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, are currently investigating a member of tricycle-snatching gang operating in Lagos and its environs.

The suspect, identified as Emmanuel Godwin, aged 28 from Edo State, said he was just a tricycle snatcher and not an armed robber, since he does not use guns.

Godwin said he started snatching tricycles to get rich quick and solve most of his problems.

It was learned that the suspect and members of his gang pose as passengers, board a tricycle, get to a convenient place, push the driver out and zoom off. He also looked for tricycles parked along the street, in front of a compound or even near a restaurant.

It was gathered that Godwin was first arrested by the Zonal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, ZSARS, January 1, while attemp-ting to steal a tricycle.

However, luck ran against him when he stole another tricycle last week and the owner decided to report to the state’s SARS.

Following an investigation personally led by officer in charge of SARS, Abba Kyari, the suspect was nabbed at Ijora, where he went to sell a tricycle he stole.

He was arrested when he was asked to come and collect money from a potential buyer, who needed a tricycle urgently and had cash to pay, not knowing that the purported buyer was a SARS operative.

Emmanuel said: “I am a tricycle snatcher, not an armed robber because I don’t use gun. I steal from park and when I ask tricycle rider for a test drive and he allows me, I run away with the tricycle.

“The market price of a tricycle is N400,000. But I used to sell each tricycle for N60,000. I stole five tricycles and sold them to one Aye at Ijora.

“I also sold two to one Liwan. Aye still owes me for two tricycles I sold to him, while Liwan is yet to pay for another I sold to him.”