Bolt driver: “The rise in fuel prices forced me into armed robbery”

Jeremiah Adeniran, a 29-year-old ‘bolt’ driver in Lagos State who is accused of robbing several of his passengers, has been detained by the police command.

Adeniran acknowledged that the rise in fuel prices motivated him to commit robbery during a Friday interview with journalists in Ikeja.

“Before the increase in fuel prices, my business was moving as I wanted, so I ventured into robbery,” he added. “Before, I can do 15 trips a day.”

He claimed that he always remained on the road with his two other accomplices to conduct the heist.

Adeniran, who asserted that he had only committed three passenger robberies since beginning his robbery enterprise last month, claimed that he was apprehended on Saturday after being spotted by one of his victims.

“On Saturday morning, I went into a store and spotted the woman who I had picked up and robbed the day before; she identified me right away since I had taken off my nose mask.

“She raised alarm, and that’s how I was arrested and taken to Ikotun police station,” he claimed.

The father of one claimed that his portion of the money his gang and he collectively earned was N700,000.

The suspect, who claimed to be a university graduate, stated that he wouldn’t have taken part in criminal activity if he had received a better offer.

Initially, I had no intention of doing so; I just did it because I had no other option. However, looking back, I regret being involved in robbery.

Speaking to reporters, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the suspect committed the crime on July 8, 2023, at about 11:00 p.m.

“A woman who was travelling from Ikotun to Lagos Island scheduled a transportation; he got picked up on Governor’s Road in Ikotun. The driver stopped the car on their route, pretending to have a flat tyre and got out.

“Shortly after, other gang members showed up and took control of the wheel, forcing the driver to sit in the rear.

Later, the driver pulled a knife and robbed the woman of her cash and iPhone.

He claimed that after a rigorous investigation, “police officers arrested the suspect at BRT market Ikotun while he was selling the stolen goods.”

The photographer claimed that a working Toyota Camry Saloon and a knife were found on him.

He claimed that the results of the inquiry showed that the suspect and his crew had been carrying out these types of valuables robberies.

He claims that efforts have been made to apprehend other gang members and seize more of their usable weapons.