National Union of Road Transport Workers
(NURTW) boss confessed that he has
purchased 4,256 stolen phones from
robbers, pick-pockets and others.
– Officials of the Rapid Response Squad
(RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command
had arrested Kazeem Bamidele, 42, who is
the Second Vice Chairman of the NURTW,
Ajegunle Unit recently.
Bamidele confessed that he purchased over
4,256 mobile phones from robbers,
pickpockets and one-chance gang operating
in the state. He equally confessed to the
RRS Intelligence Team that he has over 52
boys in Lagos State, who steal and sell
“clean phones” to him constantly.
Popularly known as “Elewure” in the social
circle, Bamidele was arrested when the RRS
Intelligence Team quizzed two stolen phones
users in Kogi State in connection with
abduction and robbery cases in Lagos State.
The operatives had upon returning from a
week-long investigation in Port Harcourt,
Enugu and Kogi State, swung into actions by
arresting Bamidele in his shop in Boundary
Market, Ajegunle, after he was fingered to
have been the seller of two Blackberry Z10
phones and a CAT phone collected from
victims of robbery and abduction incidences
in the metropolis.
“I have over 52 boys who sell clean stolen
mobile phones to me. On the average, I
receive 38 ‘clean’ phones in a week. I have
been in the business for more than two years.
Boundary Market in Ajegunle, where I have
office and shop, is where they sell the phones
to me and that is where the buyers equally get
them. I know they are stolen phones. Nearly
every guy in Ajegunle is involved in this kind
of runs. It is what they do to survive.
“I was pushed into the business by family
pressure. I have two wives and seven children.
I have so many dependants. What I pay as
school fees alone is staggering. I had too
many problems in life. My mother gave birth to
13 children for my father. Though both of
them are no more, only three of us are left. I
am the breadwinner of the family.
NURTW vice chairman
“My first wife’s children are part of the
predicament I have. Since I married the
second wife, I have not known peace. Can you
believe that since I was arrested, she has
never called or visited me? I know this is a
lesson for me in life. She has seven children
for me and what I paid as school fees for her
children is staggering,” he stated.
Bamidele stated: “I started out in life as
‘elubo’, pepper and maize grinder. I know that
most of these phones were gotten from pick-
pocket, one chance and robbery. My second
wife has mounted so much pressure on me to
quit the business long ago but the financial
pressure was stunning. I think I have come to
a point I don’t need to be advised to stop it
now.
“I buy Infinix Hot 2 at N10k and sell N12,000;
Blackberry Z30 at N20,000:00 and sell at
N22,000:00; buy Infinix Hot Note at
N15,000:00 and sell at N17,000 and Samsung
Galaxy X3 at N11,000 and sell at N14,000. I
don’t buy iPhone because of its locking
system.”
At the time of his arrest, five stolen mobile
phones were found with him. He is presently
helping the police to pick up his boys from
their hide-outs, bus stops and routes of
operations.
Also, two commercial buses used for robbery
and one chance operations are presently at
RRS Headquarters in Alausa.
Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,
Dolapo Badmos, said the force was following
up the suspect’s revelations and is making
steady progress in the investigations of the
case. The suspect has been transferred to
SARS for further.
Of recent, a 23-year-old Victor Uhoka, a
university undergraduate, was arrested by
men of the Nigerian police force in Benin
City, Edo state for stealing. The young man
said an evil spirit was the cause of him
stealing.
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