An UBER driver, Ekwomi Charles, given up for dead by his attackers, has lived to tell his story.
He told Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives that he was dumped in the bush by suspected robbers, who thought he had died after being attacked.
The suspects, Charles said, made away with his Toyota Camry, 2006 model.
In a statement yesterday, RRS said three of the suspects had been arrested.
RRS said they were arrested on Thursday in Lekki, Lagos on their way to sell the car.
Daniel Alagor, 28, Samuel Effiong, 25, Emeka Okoye, a.k.a Tallest and three other suspects, still at large, on Wednesday night requested for UBER through Alagor’s phone line.
Supported by one Blessing (still at large), Alagor told Charles to take them to Abijo GRA from Jakande Estate, Lekki around 11pm .
Midway into the trip, Blessing, according to Alagor, told the driver they were going to a birthday party in Shoprite, Sangotedo, and that they were going to pick two of their colleagues up in Abijo GRA, Ajah.
Charles said: “I agreed to pick their friends and drop them at the venue of the party as we were already in Abijo GRA. I noticed that their friends were not at the bus stop.
“They called their friends and we agreed to move into the estate to meet them on their way. I drove about 100 meters and I didn’t encounter them. I insisted I was going no further.
“They eventually came and immediately they entered the car, they tied a rope around my neck from the back. Then, all of them started punching me until I passed out. Thinking that I was dead, they took me into the bush and dropped my body near an uncompleted building. They left beside me a knife after tying me. Thank God, I woke up later. I reported at the closest police station and eventually, I learnt RRS men have arrested them.”
After the incident, the suspects, RRS said, left one of them in Abijo GRA.
Alagor, Blessing and another suspect, whose identity the RRS is working on, drove the car to Shoprite, Sangotedo to pick Samuel Effiong, who had negotiated with a buyer based in Fashola Estate, Lekki.
According to Effiong, “Blessing some time ago told me that he wanted to sell a car. He called me on phone around midnight on Wednesday to take him to the person that wanted to buy the car. They picked me up in Shoprite, Sangotedo. I didn’t follow him to where they stole the vehicle.
“We were close to Fashola Estate, when we ran into RRS patrol vehicle. They stopped us for a check. Blessing and his friend ran away while Alagor and I were arrested. They also arrested the Emeka Okoye, a.k.a Tallest, who wanted to link us to the buyer.”
The suspects led RRS to where the UBER driver’s body was deposited.
The officers recovered a kitchen knife, ropes and a cap, reportedly belonging to Blessing.
He told Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives that he was dumped in the bush by suspected robbers, who thought he had died after being attacked.
The suspects, Charles said, made away with his Toyota Camry, 2006 model.
In a statement yesterday, RRS said three of the suspects had been arrested.
RRS said they were arrested on Thursday in Lekki, Lagos on their way to sell the car.
Daniel Alagor, 28, Samuel Effiong, 25, Emeka Okoye, a.k.a Tallest and three other suspects, still at large, on Wednesday night requested for UBER through Alagor’s phone line.
Supported by one Blessing (still at large), Alagor told Charles to take them to Abijo GRA from Jakande Estate, Lekki around 11pm .
Midway into the trip, Blessing, according to Alagor, told the driver they were going to a birthday party in Shoprite, Sangotedo, and that they were going to pick two of their colleagues up in Abijo GRA, Ajah.
Charles said: “I agreed to pick their friends and drop them at the venue of the party as we were already in Abijo GRA. I noticed that their friends were not at the bus stop.
“They called their friends and we agreed to move into the estate to meet them on their way. I drove about 100 meters and I didn’t encounter them. I insisted I was going no further.
“They eventually came and immediately they entered the car, they tied a rope around my neck from the back. Then, all of them started punching me until I passed out. Thinking that I was dead, they took me into the bush and dropped my body near an uncompleted building. They left beside me a knife after tying me. Thank God, I woke up later. I reported at the closest police station and eventually, I learnt RRS men have arrested them.”
After the incident, the suspects, RRS said, left one of them in Abijo GRA.
Alagor, Blessing and another suspect, whose identity the RRS is working on, drove the car to Shoprite, Sangotedo to pick Samuel Effiong, who had negotiated with a buyer based in Fashola Estate, Lekki.
According to Effiong, “Blessing some time ago told me that he wanted to sell a car. He called me on phone around midnight on Wednesday to take him to the person that wanted to buy the car. They picked me up in Shoprite, Sangotedo. I didn’t follow him to where they stole the vehicle.
“We were close to Fashola Estate, when we ran into RRS patrol vehicle. They stopped us for a check. Blessing and his friend ran away while Alagor and I were arrested. They also arrested the Emeka Okoye, a.k.a Tallest, who wanted to link us to the buyer.”
The suspects led RRS to where the UBER driver’s body was deposited.
The officers recovered a kitchen knife, ropes and a cap, reportedly belonging to Blessing.
