A 70-year-old security guard, Jacob Oluwape, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly attempting to burgle a shop at Mologede bus stop, in the Powerline, Meiran area of the state.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Oluwape, who was formerly employed to provide security for the street, was sacked three years ago over a similar incident.
Oluwape, who lives in the community, was allegedly caught red-handed last Thursday, while allegedly breaking into a shop.
A landlord and eyewitness, Mr. Bashiru Tajudeen, told PUNCH Metro that he heard a noise at the shop where foodstuffs were sold, adding that he saw the septuagenarian coming from the place.
He said, “The shop is at the back of my house. Around 12.30am last Thursday, there was a noise from the shop.
“I called another landlord, who said I should inform the baale if the noise continued. After 20 minutes, the noise continued.
“By the time I got close to the shop, I saw the suspect coming out of the place. His hands, clothes and sandals were full of dust. So, I grabbed him and started interrogating him.
“He was fidgeting. I decided to take him to the main road so that people could see him because he was formerly the street security guard; he was sacked three years ago.”
Tajudeen said he released the suspect due to his old age.
He explained that Oluwape returned to his house which was within the neighbourhood.
The witness said he informed other landlords on the street that same night and they all gathered at the suspect’s doorstep and ordered him out.
“When he came out, he had already washed his hands with water. But his legs, clothes and sandals were still dusty.
“We took him out and a police patrol van, which was passing by, got him arrested. We all went to make statements at the police station and he was detained that night,” Tajudeen added.
PUNCH Metro learnt that a police team visited the shop and saw two big stones and a deep hole that had been created by the continuous hitting of the wall.
The shop owner, Mrs. Nosifat Muhammed, told our correspondents that she asked the police to release the suspect because of his age.
“I sell foodstuffs in my shop and this is the second time that this will be happening. When I went to the police station and saw that the suspect was an old man, I was shocked. I asked the police to close the case because my husband said the man was too old to be jailed,” she added.
It was gathered that Oluwape was released last Saturday.
The traditional ruler of the community, Samuel Dada, said, “This problem has been on for about three years now, but I always prayed that the suspect would be exposed. Due to his age, we cannot keep him in police custody. We also need him to name the others he is working with.”
The suspect, however, said the police released him because there was no evidence against him, adding that he never burgled any shop.
Oluwape said he was securing the shop of a welder on the street when he heard a noise from the woman’s shop and he went to check what was happening.
Oluwape said, “As a security guard watching over a shop that was opposite the shop that was burgled, I decided to come out with my torch to visit the scene.
“On getting there, I didn’t see anybody. I was leaving the place for my house when I was accused by the landlord that I was the one behind the burglary. The police released me on Saturday because they could not find any evidence against me.”
When our correspondent contacted Rasak Onigade, the welder who owned the shop Oluwape claimed to be guarding, he denied him.
Onigade said, “I never asked him to watch over my shop; it is a lie. I have also made my statement at the police station.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, saying the police were preparing to arraign the suspect when the shop owner withdrew the case.
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