The Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad,
Adeniji Adele, Lagos, has arrested a gang of robbers who operate in
Lagos and neighbouring states under the guise of working as commercial
drivers.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the
suspects ─ Suleiman Ibrahim, Kayode Orelope, Kehinde Fatai and Afeez
Olatunde ─ were arrested by the FSARS operatives from their respective
hideouts in Mushin, Iyana Ipaja, Igando in Lagos and Ijoko, Ogun State
after a tip-off.
According to the police, the gang made
use of commercial buses and operated by picking unsuspecting passengers
and robbing them while in motion ─ a method popularly referred to as
one-chance.
Our correspondent learnt that after
Ibrahim, who is said to be the gang leader, was arrested in July 9, he
confessed to the crime, and led the police to the hideouts of other
members.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro,
36-year-old Ibrahim who hails from Awori, Lagos, explained that in
one-chance operation, his gang members would be positioned at strategic
bus stops and would also come into the bus as passengers to make their
victims unsuspicious.
He said, “We don’t go out until around
9pm. I was a commercial driver and I was plying the Oshodi and Mushin
areas. I have been in the one-chance robbery for about 10 years, and we
were able to escape police arrest on several occasions.
“When we go out for an operation, I
usually drive while another gang member will stand at the door. Some of
our guys will also be at some bus stops.
“When our bus is full, we then drive to an isolated point, and rob all of them.
“We collect money, jewellery, gold,
phones and other valuables. We drop them at areas that we know will be
hard for them to get another bus, thereby preventing them from calling
the police.
“We made an average of N50,000 from each outing. Although we were rough, we never molested any woman during operation.”
Ibrahim, father of three, who lives on
Musibau Street, Ajangbadi, said he joined the gang after being lured by a
friend he identified simply as Ganiyu.
Olatunde told our correspondent that the gang made use of car jacks , not guns, to frighten their passengers.
He said, “We did not have guns, but we
were many and we had objects like car jack to deal with any stubborn
victim. The jack actually looks like a gun, and then in the dark, no
passenger wants to risk finding out if the gun is real or not.”
Thirty-two-year-old Fatai from Oyo State
said he saw Ibrahim as a rich man because he spent lavishly, adding that
it enticed him to join the gang.
He said, “I was not only a commercial
driver, I was also a union executive in Mile 2 area. The times I went
out with the gang, we robbed at the Oshodi and Obalende areas.
“Ibrahim lured me to join them. The highest amount I made was N32,000.”
In his own confession, Orelope, 40, who
hails from Oyo State, said he was also invited into the gang by Ibrahim
as they both plied the same routes.
Our correspondent learnt that the DCP Chris Ezike-led FSARS were still investigating the robbery.
The police said they would charge the suspects to court after investigations were over.
0 100000:
Post a Comment