The Ogun State Police Command has arrested three suspects: Monsuru Musa, Adija Monsuru, and Shehu Dikko, for the alleged attempted murder of a commercial motorcycle rider identified simply as Tijanni in the Afonta area of Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
PUNCH Metro learned on Sunday from a police source in the area that the incident, which happened last Monday at about 6.10pm, left the commercial motorcyclist with severe injuries on the crown of his head, neck, and lower lip.
Our correspondent learned that trouble started when Monsuru stopped Tijanni and asked him to take her to the Soyeye area from Lafenwa in Abeokuta.
However, upon reaching an isolated area just before the Soyeye community, Monsuru reportedly asked Tijanni to halt the motorcycle and allow her to call her friend who would be travelling the same route.
PUNCH Metro learned that shortly after she made the call, two other suspects, Musa and Dikko, arrived at the scene and joined Monsuru on the motorcycle.
While turning the ignition of the motorcycle on, the police source said Musa and Dikko attempted to strangle Tijanni by tying a rope around his neck and tightening it firmly.
While this was happening, 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.
The police source said 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.
When contacted on Sunday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Odutola Omolola, who confirmed the incident to PUNCH Metro, said 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.”
Last year, operatives of Amotekun Corps in the state also arrested a 40-year-old suspect for the attempted murder of a motorcyclist identified as Mohammed Bashiru in the Remo area of the state.
The suspect was believed to have also pretended to be a passenger and used a knife to cut the victim on the right side of his neck before taking away his motorcycle.
