The suspects

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Luck ran against three thieves who used motor cycle, popularly called ‘Okada’, to steal as they were arrested at Ojurin Area of Akobo, Ibadan today when they were trying to escape after stealing a white ram at Olorunda Area of the city. Olorunda is under Lagelu Local Government.

The thieves who identified themselves as Emanuel, Segun and Danlami were alleged to have stolen the ram around 6:30am and jumped on the motorcycle in an attempt to run away but were given the chase of their lives.

A woman who identified herself as Iya Seri said, “We noticed them roaming about but were not too bothered because we don’t know what they were up to. All of a sudden, we saw them carrying the ram which belong to an elderly woman. As we were about to challenge them, they quickly climbed their okada and as they were about to run away, some men who also have okada quickly mounted theirs and started pursuing them. I was on the back of one of the okadas that was used to pursue them. They were too reckless but we were determined to get them arrested. We were unable get them until we got to this place where we pushed them on the okada and they fell and that was how we got them”.

Immediately they arrested them, people descended on them and beat them mercilessly and stripped them naked.

Afterwards, one of the members of the crowd called the police who came about one hour later.

The crowd handed over the thieves to the police who went away with them to Akobo Police station.

As they were going, the crowd was shouting, “Do not release them tomorrow. Make sure you prosecute them”.

Before they were taken away, the thieves said that it was over a year that they had been stealing domestic animals.

Emmanuel said, “We only use our okada to steal goat or ram. After stealing, we sell it to food sellers. We can sell it N10, 000, or N20, 000 depending on how big the ram or goat is. We don’t use gun. We use the money we realize for food”.

Adding, Segun said, “I told them not to let us go because today is Sunday but they say that it is easy to succeed on Sunday because people will go to church and that will make our job easy. Now they have arrested us. I am finished”.