By Desire Emmanuel
Five young men said to belong to a criminal group known as ‘Otaku Boys’ have been arrested while attempting to rob motorists, especially those whose vehicles break down on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State.
Otaku in Yoruba language is a way of describing a broken-down vehicle. Whenever vehicles break down, these boys always swoop on the motorists, molesting and robbing them.
It was gathered that the five hoodlums were arrested at the Ilubinrin end of the Third Mainland Bridge by the operatives of the Island East command of the Lagos State Safety Neighbourhood Agency on Monday, October 27.
According to information regarding their arrest, they were picked up following a distress call made by a motorist whom they wanted to extort after his car broke down in the area.
Following the distress call received, the operatives raced to the scene and saw the five young men attempting to rob the motorist. They were immediately arrested and taken to the Adeniji Adele Police Station for further information and prosecution.
It was further gathered than during their arrest, various items, including identification slips of LASSRA, knives, hammers, and other harmful objects used in their criminal activities.
The state government has been grappling with the activities of various criminal groups, especially those who operate on the ever-busy Third Mainland Bridge in the morning and at night.
Some of the criminals always targeted those whose vehicles break down, extorting then and in some cases, robbing them of their valuables.
