The Lagos state police command has arrested a suspected armed robber found in possession of a suspected human hand, firearms and other items believed to have been stolen from robbery victims.

In a statement on Friday, SP Abimbola Adebisi, police spokesperson in Lagos, said the suspect was arrested during a routine stop-and-search operation along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

Adebisi identified the suspect as Samson Onilewaji, 21. She said the suspect was travelling in an unregistered commercial shuttle bus with five other occupants when police operatives intercepted the vehicle.

According to the police, a search of the vehicle and its occupants led to the recovery of a suspected human right hand, two locally made pistols, one live cartridge, two axes, one Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal and five ATM cards from the suspect.

The police said Onilewaji confessed to recently robbing three people of their belongings, including the recovered POS terminal and ATM cards. The command said efforts are ongoing to identify and contact the victims so their property can be returned.

SP Adebisi said investigators are working to establish the identity of the owner of the suspected human hand, the circumstances surrounding its possession and its intended use. She added that efforts are also underway to identify and arrest other suspected accomplices linked to the case.

The police said the suspect would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

CP Tijani Fatai, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling violent crime and other criminal activities in the state.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing the police with credible information to support crime prevention and public safety.