In a startling confession, an e-hailing driver in Lagos State, Jeremiah Adeniran, has revealed that he used to target and rob his female passengers during ride-hailing trips. The 47-year-old driver disclosed that the hardship resulting from the removal of the fuel subsidy compelled him to resort to criminal activities in order to make ends meet.

Speaking during a parade of suspects at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja, Adeniran disclosed that he would decline ride orders from male passengers and instead collaborated with two yet-to-be-identified friends to carry out the crimes. The trio primarily targeted female passengers during their operations.

Adeniran, a graduate of Accounting from the North American University, admitted that he had successfully made a total of N700,000 from the illicit activities. However, his criminal activities came to an end when he was arrested in Ikotun after his last operation.

Narrating his modus operandi, Adeniran explained, “When I get a man, I will decline the ride. I started last month, and my first operation was on July 28, but I did two other operations this month, and I was caught last Friday at Ikotun after I picked a lady along Ijegun Road a few minutes after 1 am. She was going to the New Afrika Shrine.”

He further narrated that he had planned the robbery in advance, involving his accomplices to execute the crime. The suspect was arrested after one of the stolen phones, taken from the lady during the robbery, was found in the possession of his accomplice.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed that the police were actively pursuing the arrest of the other fleeing accomplices involved in the robberies.

The police also paraded several other suspects involved in various criminal activities, including the killing of an Inspector attached to the Zone 2 Command and the theft of goods worth N60 million. Operation Flush, launched by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, aims to tackle the resurgence of crime in certain areas of the state.

As the investigations continue, the police are set to charge the suspects to court for prosecution. Jeremiah Adeniran’s confession serves as a stark reminder of the importance of addressing societal challenges and providing support systems for vulnerable individuals during times of economic hardship.