There was a mild drama at the weekend when the police at Ikotun
Division, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, arrested three monkeys and
their minders suspected to be Fulani herdsmen who were allegedly using
the monkeys to breach public peace and to steal.
Police arrested the monkeys and their minders at the popular Ikotun roundabout.But the monkeys shocked the police and resisted being forced into the
station. They stood at the entrance where they continued their usual
demonstration and acrobatic displays.
The policemen who arrested them became angry and threatened to shoot them.The drama stirred up confusion because a large crowd gathered at the entrance of the police station to watch the moneys display.
The Ikotun Police Divisional Police Officer, CSP Akika later came out of his office and intervened.He released the moneys to their owners and dispersed the crowd at the station.
P.M.NEWS learnt through the residents that whenever the monkeys and
their minders were in Ikotun, a large crowd usually gathered to watch
them display. But criminals seized the opportunity to steal from the
onlookers and passers-by pickpockets usually have a field day during
such displays.
Before the monkeys were arrested on Friday, a victim, Nurudeen Idowu
complained to the police that when he passed through a crowd watching
the monkeys, he lost N5,700 he had on him.
He said he suspected that the monkeys’ minders were collaborating with criminals to steal from the people.Another victim, Mrs. Victoria Udoh, claimed she lost N22,000 when she
joined the crowd to watch the monkeys display, lamenting that she could
not tell her husband how she lost the money.
A trader in Ikotun market, Edwin Chris, also claimed he was a victim.
He said his N9,000 was stolen as he watched the monkeys during the
week.
