Two suspected car snatchers were this morning arrested by heavily armed operatives of Nigeria’s Department of State Security Services (SSS), at the premises of the Nigerian Union of Journalists on Reservation Road, GRA, Benin.
The operation which lasted for over 20 minutes, created some pandemonium as journalists and newspaper distributors who resumed work early in the morning scampered for safety upon sighting the gun-wilding security operatives.
The robbers were said to have a few days earlier stolen a black-colored Toyota Corolla car valued at N2.5million from its owner in Warri, Delta state at gunpoint, and had contacted various car dealers in Benin City with the intention of selling the stolen car to any unsuspecting buyer at a giveaway price.
Unknown to them, however, a security agent who posed as a buyer contacted a number used by one of the thieves, arranged a meeting at the NUJ Press Centre to conclude the deal.
The thieves who drove the stolen car into the NUJ Premises this morning, were engaged in serious negotiations when a team of SSS men drove in and at gunpoint made to arrest the duo, but one of them took to his heels on sighting the men.
The hot chase given to the fleeing car thief by the SSS operatives resulted in the pandemonium, with everybody running for cover.
Calm later returned to the centre as the security men handcuffed the suspects and drove them away to the State Headquarters of the SSS.
PM NEWS