Police arrest man with bag of stolen phones at ‘The Experience’ concert in Lagos
While thousands of Nigerians were singing and
praising God at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos State, during the House on the
Rock’s sponsored gospel concert, ‘The Experience,’ a man, Lateef Nurudeen, had
a different plan.
According to the police, Nurudeen, who pretended
to be a worshipper, was arrested with seven mobile phones belonging to some
participants at the event.
The 19-year-old, who was said to be in company
with six other persons, was arrested by men of the Rapid Response Squad of the
Lagos State Police Command with a bag where the stolen phones were found.
He was also said to be in possession of charms.
The police on Tuesday said the suspect, who lived
on Obadina Street, Lagos Island, was arrested around 12.45am at the venue of
the concert.
“The suspect, on interception by the officers
posted to the venue of the concert, said he was a barber. After further
scrutiny, he claimed that he saw the bag underneath a flower bed.
“Found inside the bag were seven different mobile
phones, charms and a purse. The purse contained an identity card and an ATM
card belonging to one Chris Chinedu.
“The suspect also confessed to be the owner of the
charms in the bag,” a source in the RRS said.
The police said four of the phone owners had shown
up at the RRS headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja.
The owners, identified as Ukwajiba Felix,
Ekhorelen Ruth, Kpanou Estelle and Kemi Ahmed, were said to have been alerted
after operatives of the RRS called some of the contacts on the phones.
“The owners, who had been looking for their mobile
phones before leaving the venue of the programme, said they didn’t know when
their phones were removed from their bags and pockets.
“One of them, Ukwajiuba (Felix), said immediately
he realised that his phone had been stolen, he reported the theft at the Zone 2
Police Command, Onikan, Lagos,” the police said.
Nurudeen, whom the police alleged was an
ex-convict, reportedly said in his statement that the charms in the bag were
for his protection.
He said he was at the concert to pray and found
the bag on a flower bed.
Punch
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