15-year-old son of police officer arrested for armed robbery

Saka Gbeminiyi, Lagos - 25.05.2008

Sulaimon Amuzat 15,son of a serving police officer in Osun State, has been arrested by the police for robbery in Abeokunta, Ogun State. Narrating how he was involved in the armed robbery at that tender age, the suspect who is currently in police detention at Adatan Police Station, Abeokuta, told Sunday Tribune that he ran away from home to Abeokuta, in order to avoid being punished by his strict father for committing an offence.

The teenager said that he left home(Osogbo) when his father threatened to punish him over an offence. He said the problem started when he bought a computer game for himself. at N2, 500
According to him, his father was displeased with his action ,adding that this prompted him to flee home.

On how he got to Abeokunta, he said. “After the threat, I just packed my computer game and headed for the motor park and boarded a bus going to Abeokuta. I paid N800 as transport fare. When the bus got to Ibadan, I wanted to come down, but something inside me told me to move further away from home so that my parents would not find me.I went to Abeokuta.”

On how he had survived since March when he left home, he said,” When I got to Kuto Garage, in Abeokuta, I just approached a man, Egbon Asunmo. I told him to assist me that I had lost the address of where I was going. I begged him to allow me pass the night in his house. He agreed and that was how I survived the first night.

“After the first day. I told him if he could allow me to be staying with him till I go back to my parents. He also agreed. And that was how I have been managing with the man.

“When the school resumed in April, I begged him to enroll me in a secondary school in Abeokuta, he said he had no money. I asked if I could join him in his bakery business to raise money for my school fee, he agreed and I was following him to his bakery office.
“But at a point I felt guilty and I told him that I was not interested in going to his bakery office again and I stayed at home. At a point, I became lonely after everybody had gone to school, and it was at that point that the idea of stealing came to my mind.

“I thought that if I can use my toy gun to rob people of their handsets, I would sell it and use the proceed to enroll in school”.

He explained that the toy gun he used for the operation was part of the accessories of the computer game he brought from Osogbo.

About his arrest, he stated that he set out on the mission one afternoon.but on seeing his mates going to school he became sad. I just stood up with my toy gun, robbed a man of his handset. But I was unlucky the man raised alarm and I was arrested and that was how I was brought to the police station.”

He told Sunday Tribune that the police had contacted his parents in Osun State “ Speaking on the matter, Mr. Femi Awoyale, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ogun State Police Command advised parents to always monitor their wards very well to avoid a situation like this.