A 23-year-old armed robbery suspect, Godwin Emmanuel, has confessed to stealing a police officer’s phone while being transported in a patrol van to the Osun State Police Command.
Godwin, alongside two accomplices—28-year-old Olajide Kareem and 33-year-old Mike Emmanuel—was arrested for allegedly robbing residents and attacking a 65-year-old woman traveling on the Ilesa-Osu Expressway. The victim, who was taking her ailing husband to the hospital, was reportedly sexually assaulted during the attack. While parading the suspects on Friday, the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, detailed their crimes.
“The three suspects are notorious for robbing motorists and passengers. In one incident, a bus driver was shot in the leg and rushed to Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital in Ile-Ife for treatment. Olajide was arrested in the bush and confessed to being part of a five-man robbery gang from Ikorodu, Lagos State,” Opalola explained.
The police were able to apprehend the other two suspects following further investigations. In an unexpected twist, Godwin confessed to an additional offense during his time in police custody. He admitted to stealing a phone belonging to a police officer from inside the patrol van. “I didn’t know it was a police phone,” he told reporters. “I beg them not to be angry with me. I only wanted to use the phone to call my family because they didn’t know I had been arrested.”
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Godwin explained that he smuggled the stolen phone into the police cell and removed its SIM card before being caught. “I have been here for about two months. They searched me in the cell and found the phone. Please tell them to forgive me. I won’t do it again,” he pleaded. The Osun State Police Command confirmed that investigations are ongoing and emphasized their commitment to ensuring that justice is served.
Meanwhile, the arrested suspects remain in custody and face multiple charges, including armed robbery and assault.
Authorities have urged the public to report suspicious activities and ensure cooperation with law enforcement agencies to curb crime in the state.
