CSP Chike Oti/
Every day is for the thief; one day is for the owner, says an African proverb that has a familiar ring with the story of a suspected criminal who allegedly jumped to his death today while trying to escape after stealing from a car in Lagos.
The story of the 46-year-old deceased suspect, Daniel Ekwerekwu, was told by the Lagos State police spokesman, CSP Chike Oti, in a statement today.
Oti says in the statement: “If Daniel Ekwerekwu an indigene of Aguleri, Anambra State, (going by the voter’s card recovered from him), knew what fate had in stock for him at the early hours of today 12/08/2018, perhaps, he might have chosen another day to go vandalising people’s cars.
“Nemesis caught up with the said Daniel Ekwerekwu at Okungade Street, Mende-Maryland, Ikeja, where he went on a perilous mission of car vandalisation to wit stealing of car body/engine parts.
“However, at about 0604hrs, one of the owners of the cars being vandalised woke up to prepare for church service only to see Daniel vandalising his car.
“He raised the alarm which attracted a police patrol team from Anthony Police Division on neighbourhood patrol, as well as neighbours. They chased after the thief who ran into a building. He tried to scale the fence but unfortunately for him, his hands slipped off the wall and he landed on a cemented floor breaking his skull as a result.
“When the police searched his trousers’ pocket, they recovered a voter’s card bearing his name and picture.
“He was taken to Mainland Hospital, Yaba, where he was confirmed dead. The body was thereafter deposited at the hospital’s morgue for autopsy.
“The Commissioner of Police once again wishes to encourage Lagos communities that are yet to form neighbourhood vigilante groups to do so. The CP promises that once the vigilante group meets the requirements of the law, the Command will recognise it and back them up with armed policemen since vigilante groups are not allowed to bear firearms.”
Oti also told NewsmakersNG that the voter’s identity card and car keys found on the deceased suspect led detectives to the recovery of a dark blue Volkswagen Passat marked KRD 708 DK, which they said he brought for the operation.
