We always sleep close to ATM points to rob early users

Luck finally ran out for a suspected robber identified as Gbenga Babatunde, 25, when operatives of Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of the Lagos State Police Command arrested
him on Saturday, while he was trying to rob a lady that had gone to make use of an Automated Teller Machine, ATM, at Alaba Rago Market, Ojo
Local Government Area of the state.

Babatunde, in his confessional statement, revealed that to rob early users of ATMs, he passed the night at a targeted point.

He also said that he had robbed over 35 ATM users in Alaba Rago Market area before his
arrest.
The suspected gun-wielding robber was chased and arrested by the operatives patrolling the area, during which a cut-to-size locally-made gun, two live cartridges and some debit cards were recovered from him.

Gbenga Babatunde His accomplice, who the suspect claimed introduced him to the crime, escaped.


Confession

Babatunde narrated: “I have been in the crime since I met my colleague, Samson Baba
Ramadan. I met him at Field Joint, Alaba, two years ago and since then we have been working together.

“We have robbed about 35 people together. We get to a target ATM point by 4a.m. and hide in any shop close-by. As soon as anybody collects
money, we will accost the person, collect the money and escape. The last money we got from a victim was N40,000.

“This morning (Saturday), we wanted to collect money from a lady. She ran away. We thought
she had gone, not knowing that she went to inform RRS. This was around 5a.m. They pursued us and arrested me but my partner escaped.

“I don’t go home. I sleep in a hotel at Alaba Rago. It is only whenever I don’t have money
that I go home. I have no wife and no child.”

Meanwhile, the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, for further investigation and prosecution.

The state’s police spokes-person, Superintendent Dolapo Badmus, confirmed the arrest.

Article By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Evelyn Usman