The Ogun State Police Command has arrested three suspects for the alleged attempted murder of a commercial motorcycle rider in the Afonta area of Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Monsuru Musa, Adija Monsuru, and Shehu Dikko are accused of attacking an okada rider, identified simply as Tijanni, last Monday evening, March 4.
The attack left Tijanni with severe injuries on his head, neck, and lip.
Monsuru had asked Tijanni to take her to the Soyeye area from Lafenwa in Abeokuta. However, when they got to an isolated area just before the Soyeye community, Monsuru asked Tijanni to stop the motorcycle and allow her to call her friend who would be travelling the same route.
Shortly after she made the call, Musa and Dikko, arrived at the scene and joined her on the motorcycle.
As the bike rider was about to start the bike, Musa and Dikko attempted to strangle him by tying a rope to his neck. As they did this, Monsuru was said to have picked up what was believed to be a large piece of wooden plank and allegedly hit the motorcyclist on the head, causing him to scream for help.
Other motorcyclists, residents, and a team of police officers stormed the scene and apprehended the three suspects before they could escape through a nearby bush.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Odutola Omolola, confirmed the incident to Punch, stating that the suspects were members of a notorious syndicate and had intended to steal the motorcycle before they were apprehended. She added that the victim had been taken to a hospital for medical treatment.
She said, “The female passenger had borrowed the motorcyclist’s mobile phone because she wanted to call a friend who was travelling the same route. But two people arrived at the scene. The three suspects are members of the same syndicate. They specialise in stealing motorcycles. They have been arrested and will be prosecuted.”
