Police in Ekiti State have caught a man, Bernard Shadrack, while he was trying to steal a bike from a rider.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeniran Akinwale, said the arrest happened with the help of local residents and officers from Oye Divisional Police Headquarters.
According to a statement from the state Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, the suspect and his accomplice have been targeting motorcycle riders in Oye-Ekiti. Their luck ran out on April 25th, 2024, around 9:40 PM.
The police chief explained, “They (the suspect and another at large) disguised as passengers going to Trinity Hostel along Egbe Road, Oye Ekiti, boarded the motorcycle and at a point, while on their way, forcibly asked the rider to stop which he obliged.
“The suspects then attacked the motorcyclist with dry grounded pepper, and hammer and attempted to snatch his motorcycle. The rider fortunately subdued them with the assistance of passers-by and arrested one while the other escaped.”
Further investigation revealed that the arrested suspect was involved in earlier bike thefts reported on April 2nd and April 22nd.
He confessed that he and his accomplice, who is still at large, hail from Benin, Edo State, and began their illegal activities in November 2023.
Efforts are underway to capture the remaining suspect, while the police have urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to help curb such crimes.
