Osun armed robbery suspect steals police phone while in custody

A 23-year-old armed robbery suspect, Godwin Emmanuel, has admitted to stealing a police officer’s phone while being transported to the Osun State Police Command. Emmanuel, along with two other suspects—Olajide Kareem, 28, and Emmanuel Mike, 33—was arrested for allegedly robbing residents along the Ilesa-Osu Expressway.

The state Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, revealed that the suspects had been robbing motorists and passengers, and in one instance, a bus driver was shot in the leg. The victim was quickly taken to the Seventh-day Adventist Hospital in Ile-Ife for treatment.

Olajide Kareem was apprehended in a bush area, where he confessed to being part of a five-man gang of robbers from Ikorodu, Lagos State, who had come to Osun to carry out their crimes. The other two suspects were later arrested.

Speaking to reporters, Emmanuel explained how he had stolen the phone. “I was arrested for armed robbery. While being transported in the police patrol van to the Police Command in Osogbo, I took a phone. I didn’t know it was a police officer’s phone. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any harm. I took it into the cell without them noticing, removed the SIM card, and intended to use the phone to call my family because they didn’t know I had been arrested.”

Emmanuel added, “I’ve been here for about two months. They later searched me in the cell and found the phone. Please, tell them to forgive me. I won’t do it again.”