Failed Heist: Lagos police foils robbery carried out by carjackers who posed as cops carrying toy guns

A four-man robbery gang attempted to dispossess some new year celebrants of the vehicles on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

Efforts made by some car hijackers who posed as cops on Sunday, December 31, 2017, in an attempt to steal two vehicles have been foiled by operatives of the Lagos State Police Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

The incident occurred along the Lekki-Epe Expressway where the robbers flagged to a halt two cars, a Toyota Camry and a Toyota Corolla.

 

After ensuring a compliance by the drivers, other members of the gang of thieves who attempted the robbery  emerged from a hidden location in a bid to facilitate a theft.

RRS agents soon made an appearance at the scene just as the robbers made to get away with the vehicles. Punch News reported that the suspects took to their heels, ditching the vehicles as well as a toy gun in their possession.

In a statement, the police confirmed the incident stating that the victims were on their way to celebrate the new year when they were attacked. The four-man gang of robbers reportedly jetted off into the bush when they saw the police approaching.

“The robbers fled into the bush and abandoned the victims and one of their improvised guns. They were chased into a bush, but no arrest was made.

“The victims disclosed that two of the robbers posed as policemen before another two, who were lurking in the bush, came out, asking them to surrender their keys. They added that they were going to Epe to celebrate the New Year," the statement reads.

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State police commissioner, Edgal Imohimi, has admonished his men to ensure that the fleeing robbers are captured. In the same vein, SP Chike Oti, a spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command also reiterated the force's commitment in ensuring a safer highway.

The energy expressed  by the police in respect to the robbery will come as a relief and a welcome development to most Nigerians who have lost faith in the competence of the organization in battling crime. The end of the year 2017, saw an intense criticism of its Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) department based on reports relating to violence against civilians who were reportedly extorted.

A recent nationwide protest saw Nigerians calling for an end of SARS though a counter group promoting the hashtag #SupportSars on Twitter has made a case for a reformed SARS as opposed to ending it.

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The opposers, mostly comprising of women, were however dismissed as a set of individuals being used to channel a police propaganda aimed at ensuring the continued existence of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

On its part, the Nigeria Police Force has ensured that officers found culpable of wrong-doing in the discharge of their duties are made to face the consequences of their actions which according to many reports often involves murder, assault and robbery.