The police command in Lagos State said it arrested a 35-year-old passenger who attempted to snatch an airport taxi from its driver.

Spokesperson for the command, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest to journalists on Wednesday in Lagos.

Mr Hundeyin said that the case was reported to the Alausa Police Division on June 11 at about 1:40 a.m. by the taxi driver.

He explained that the driver said that at about 1:20 a.m. on June 11, while on driving service at Chevron area of Ajah, he was stopped by the suspect, pretending to be a passenger.

He quoted the taxi driver as saying that the suspect requested that he take him to the shrine in Agidingbi, in the Alausa area of Ikeja, and on conclusion on the fare, they both started the journey to the destination.

He said, “On getting to the Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, by 7UP Alausa Ikeja, the suspect, who was sitting beside him, suddenly brought out a knife from his bag and attacked him in an attempt to snatch his Toyota Camry car. In the process, the driver sustained a deep knife cut on his hand while trying to struggle with the suspect. He quickly raised an alarm, and some good Nigerians came to his rescue while the suspect took to his heels. However, after a hot chase, he was later arrested by the anti-crime team of the Alausa police division.’’

Mr Hundeyin said that the suspect was taken to the station with the car as an exhibit while investigation was ongoing.

In another development, a 28-year-old man who had been parading himself as a military officer with the uniform of a friend serving in Maiduguri was arrested for impersonation.

Mr Hundeyin said that the fake soldier was arrested on Friday at about 5:45 p.m. by operatives from the Ilemba Hausa Division while on surveillance patrol at Jinadu Street, Ajangbadi.

He said that the suspect was fully dressed in a complete army camouflage uniform and riding a black, unregistered motorcycle when he was arrested.

The spokesperson said that on sighting the policemen, the suspect abandoned the motorcycle and took to his heels but the officers gave him a chase and arrested him.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is not a soldier and the army camouflage uniform belongs to his friend, who is a military man serving in Maiduguri,” he said. 

(NAN)