The Nation Newspaper

Tag: gang

  • Dad killed as gang attacks family of three

    •Widow, six-month-old baby injured

    • Five suspects held

    A Man  died yesterday of injuries sustained during an attack on his family at Lajo in Ibeshe, Ikorodu, Lagos.

    The late Shakiru’s widow and six-month-old baby were injured in the attack.

    The alarm raised by Shakiru’s neighbour attracted other residents, who surrounded the area in search of the suspects.

    According to a resident, the family was attacked by two men, who entered their home by smashing a window.

    The resident told The Nation that the community’s elders  notified the local vigilantes and the victims were rushed to the hospital.

    He said: “The attack occurred around 3am. The man’s name is Shakiru but he’s popularly called Shakur. The two gang members attacked his family. They were rushed to the hospital but we later heard the man died.

    “His wife and child are in the hospital. We could not sleep anymore.  People were shouting Badoo,  Badoo and that was how everyone came out to hunt them.

    “They were two men. One of them fled into a thick bush. The other one was not lucky as he was caught. People descended on him and asked him to mention the names of their sponsors.

    “He started talking. He mentioned one … But when angry youths went to look for the man, he had fled. They wanted to lynch the suspect but the police came to the scene and said they were called by the Baale to take the suspect.

    “The police took him away. The mob injured the suspect on the leg. There was tension in the area.”

    Police spokesman Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP) said: “We are aware of the situation. We intervened and were able to make some arrests. It was not a Badoo killing. Already, we have raided the home of one of the persons mentioned but he has fled.”

    “The Lagos State Police Command hereby acknowledges the above incident which took place on Saturday at about 2:30am  at Abule Osorun, Ibeshe, Ipakodo, Ikorodu, Lagos State.

    “Sequel to the above, the command wishes to state that the joint Police/Community Vigilante Services earlier set up by the Commissioner of  Police, Edgal Imohimi, and a team of policemen from Ipakodo Division, rose to the occasion by moving swiftly to the scene of crime, rescued the victims and rushed them to General Hospital, Ikorodu.

    “Unfortunately one of the victims, Mr Shakiru Yekini, died later. It is also important to note that one of the suspects was arrested at the scene and his confession has led to the arrest of four other suspects who took part in the crime.

    “Investigation is in full swing and further developments on this and other events would be disclosed by the Commissioner of Police in his next press briefing later on in the week.”

  • Gang kills pregnant woman, four others in Lagos

    Gang kills pregnant woman, four others in Lagos

    A murderous gang, known as Badoo has struck again in Ikorodu, Lagos, killing a family of five, including a pregnant woman.

    There is outrage in the community as angry youths are set to expose sponsors of the gang.

    The Police is already on the trail of the killers.

    The gang has been terrorizing residents of Ikorodu and environs with many people killed.

    Details later.

  • I was made gang leader because of my experience, says ex-convict

    I was made gang leader because of my experience, says ex-convict

    Prison experience has earned a 21-year-old armed robbery suspect the leadership of a five-man gang in Lagos.

    Dennis Soji, alias Segun Igbekele allegedly confessed to the police that he became his gang’s leader because he is an ex-convict.

    “But I do not operate guns”, he said. His gang terrorised Lakawe in Ajah before it was smashed by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    He was arrested with two members of his gang, Babatunde Haruna, 23, and Ahmed Yusuf, 22, while robbing two houses in Thomas Estate, Ajah. But, two other members of the gang identified simply as Tunde and Alumbo escaped.

    The police recovered five laptops and a locally made double barrel gun cut to size from the gang.

    He said: “Yes, I was arrested by Zone II Operatives of the SARS in October 2016 for stealing. I and my second Omoniyi Ayetoba, and we were charged to court and sent to Kirikiri Prison in Lagos where we served for two months. I must tell you the truth. Our prison system is not reforming convicts because of what the inmates pass through while serving their prison terms. I came back from prison this year and life was not easy for me.

    “When I came back from prison, I had no money to buy the instruments I used to use in doing my Disc Jockey (DJ) work. I am a DJ and that was my work before I went to prison. I was looking for at least, N100,000 to buy instruments for my DJ work but I could not get a dime.

    “I was so desperate to get the money to buy DJ instruments that I started following my friends Ahmed and Babatunde who were good in armed robbery work. When the idea to join them to rob came up I decided to follow them to see if I could get money to buy the instruments.

    “Two months ago, that is, the month of March, at about 8.30pm I, Ahmed, Babatunde and two others went to Thomas Estate to rob. We entered a compound that has two buildings at about 1:30am and finished the operation around 2am.

    “We used only one gun and one live cartridge. We did not fire anybody. We robbed only those on the ground floor of both buildings. We used the gun to intimidate residents for them to comply or cooperate with us.

    “I have participated in two operations. The first operation we robbed one resident identified as Gani Ibrahim. We did not shoot him. We did not beat him. We only collected his phones and laptop. He was not the only person we robbed that day. There were other victims and we collected about 10 phones and five laptops. We have not even sold the laptops because buyers have not indicated interest. We were not able to get cash because the residents said they had no money at the time of the operation. We only sold phones but the second operation was not successful because we, three of us were arrested and Tunde and Alumbo escaped.

    Babatunde said: “I started handling guns by accident. It was our gang member Tunde, who is still at large, that was handling guns for our gang. How he handed it over to me was a surprise and I had no choice than to hold the gun. I am the one that points guns at victims to make them to cooperate. I have never shot any victim. I only point gun at victims and shout at them just for them to cooperate.

    “I am from Abeokuta in Ogun State. I am a trained auto mechanic at Abeokuta but when I could not get work I came down to Lagos to do bus conductor work. My route is Obalende to Ajah. At times I sleep inside our commercial bus or garage. I used to go to clubs and that was where I met DJ Soji. We became friends and drink together after the day’s work.

    “When Soji told me about the work, I followed them to go and rob; initially he did not explain the nature of work when he called me to come. It was when I got to him that he told me that it was robbery work. I accepted. I never told them that I would be the one to carry gun. It was Tunde that escaped that is the person that handles gun for our gang during operations but this last operation he trickily handed the gun to me to handle. We did not succeed because three of us were arrested at the scene”.

    Yusuf said: “I am from Ibadan in Oyo State. I am a generator repairer at Festac, Lagos. If I service one small generator they give me N400. I can do four to five generators every day which can fetch me N2,000 to N2,500 daily.

    “I have many friends. I knew Soji from one of my friend’s barber’s shop when I went there to repair a generator. We became close friends. One day he brought this idea to follow them to go and rob in Thomas Estate. He told me and Babatunde to follow him to go and rob. We accepted and followed him to Thomas Estate to rob. We were five in number but two escaped. The two escaped are Tunde and Alumbo.”

    On who their gang leader is, he said: “I cannot say this is our gang leader because this type of work (robbery) is where one can show his talent. When we are in operation anybody can become the leader. The important thing is who knows the scene very well to coordinate that day. I could not escape that fateful day because I did not know the typography of the area very well. It was my first time of following them to go and rob in that area. If I am released I will not follow Soji again to do anything because of what I experienced from following him.

  • One dead, RRS man injured in Iyana-Ipaja gang war

    One dead, RRS man injured in Iyana-Ipaja gang war

    One person was killed and many others, including a policeman, were injured in a gang war in Iyana-Ipaja on Wednesday.

    The clash which occurred at Abule-Oki, Iyana-Ipaja, was over a girl.

    It was gathered that youths from two streets engaged in a free-for-all on Tuesday, following the harassment of the Iyana-Ipaja girl by suspected cultists at a party in Elere, Agege.

    The girl reported to youths of her area, who went on a reprisal.

    They were said to have thrown bottles across the road, obstructing traffic until the arrival of policemen.

    The fighting resumed on Wednesday during which a young man was killed.

    An RRS officer was wounded on the head when the warring youths smashed the rear windshield of his patrol car.

    An eyewitness said: “Their movement on the old Abeokuta expressway created huge panic as passersby ran for their lives.”

    Yesterday, police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni told reporters at the Command’s Headquarters, Ikeja that the body was recovered.

    He said: “The command received a distress call around 11pm on Tuesday that some youths were engaging themselves in a free-for-all. One person died in the clash while eight others were arrested.”

    But RRS, in a statement, said 20 were arrested.

    According to Owoseni, “preliminary investigation conducted by the police revealed that a lady who resides at Iyana-Ipaja area had attended a party at Elere. While at the party, she was attacked by some youths in the area. When she got back to her base at Iyana-Ipaja she recounted her ordeal to those in her area who immediately embarked on a reprisal attack.

    “As at 2am yesterday when the situation was brought under control, a body was recovered. This brings to question the moral of those involved in the fracas. The command will soon hold meeting with stakeholders and leaders of political parties in the area ahead of the Local Government election on the need to have a free and fair election that is without fracas. We have done it before and we promise to do it again. Anybody or group of persons arrested for actions likely to cause a breach in the peace will face the law.”

    In its statement yesterday, RRS said over 100 youths set up bonfire on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, halting vehicular traffic on both sides of the road.

    “The officers were pushing back the youths into the inner streets of Abule Oki when the youths pelted the police with stones and broken bottles which smashed the head of an officer and the rear windshield of one of our operational vehicles, a Toyota Corolla marked RRS 041 LA.  While the RRS officer was taken to the hospital, those arrested have been transferred to Area Command,” the statement said.

  • Ritual gang kills family of six in Ikorodu

    A couple and their four daughters have been killed by members of the suspected ritual gang, Badoo at Imota, Ikorodu, Lagos.

    Taofeek Agbaje, his wife, Simiatu and their daughters – Mardiya, 13, Rodiat, 10, Toyeebat, eight, and a-year-old Sadiat were hacked to death last Thursday.

    It was gathered that the gang attacked the family at midnight.

    The late Agbaje, Rodiat and Toyeebat were buried on Thursday. The trio of Simiatu, Mardiya and Sadiat died in the hospital. They were buried on Friday.

    The incident occurred at Adeke Bus Stop in Adamo, Imota, one of the areas that have suffered attacks from the murderous gang since last year.

    According to the source, the attackers entered the family’s three-bedroom bungalow apartment and hacked the victims.

    The assailants were said to have torn the window nets, removed the burglary proof and crawled into the rooms where the victims laid.

    It was gathered that after hitting their victims with a heavy object, they used a handkerchief to clean their blood before fleeing.

    He said neighbours were unaware of the incident because of the deafening sound of an electricity generating set.

    A neighbour, it was learnt, was the first to sight the victims around 6am, when she went to get lemon from the victims’ home.

    He said: “The woman needed the lemon for her child who was having stomach-ache. She went to Iya Mardiya’s place to get it but she saw Mardiya crawling on the passage. Mardiya pointed into their room and when the woman got there, she saw others lying lifeless.”

    Spokesman for the Lagos Command, Olarinde Famous-Cole said: “The Lagos state command operatives responded to a distress call from a resident and discovered that one Taofeek Agbaje and his family were attacked at night time by unknown persons. As a result, the man and his two daughters died, while his wife and two other daughters, sustained injuries and were taken to a hospital. The scene of the incident was visited. Investigations are in progress.”

  • Police arrest four suspected kidnappers

    Police arrest four suspected kidnappers

    The Nigeria Police Force said it had arrested four suspected members of a vicious Kidnap for Ransom gang in Abuja and Kano, respectively.

    The suspects are: Uche Obiora, Michael Ishaku, Raphael Dauda and Mohammed Haruna, whose room was used to keep the victims for nine days at Mpape Quaters in the FCT.

    Force Spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

    Moshood said that items recovered from them include, one Operational, Abuja colour Mazda, with reg No. SNK 891 TM, one AK 49 rifle and 59 7.65 mm live ammunition.

    He said that the suspects were arrested with the assistance of the Inspector-General of Police’s Special Tactical Squad.

    He said the suspects confessed to the crime and admitted to have collected N1 million ransom money before releasing their victims.

    The Force Spokesman said investigation was being intensified to arrest the other fleeing members of the syndicate.

    In a related development, the Nigeria Police Force said it had also arrested three suspects for conspiracy and car snatching.

    The suspects are: Ibrahim Mohammad, Surajo Yakubu and Danlami Musa.

    The spokesman said items recovered from them include, a Peugeot 406, Toyota Camry Golden colour,Toyota corolla, Green colour and Honda Civic black color.

    He said that the suspects who confessed to be members of a car snatching syndicate were arrested on Jan. 28, and they specialised in “drugging” drivers using soft drinks.

    Moshood said Investigation was being intensified to arrest the remaining gang members, adding that the suspects would be arraigned in court on completion of investigation.

    He said that other suspects arrested by the police included, one John Jumare 35, of buggai village in Chukun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and Uche Maxcillenous, 35.

    The spokesman said Jumare and Maxcillenous were arrested for being in possession of unlawful firearms and ammunition and
    receiving stolen cars, respectively.

    He said three locally made Rifles with 51 rounds of 7.65 mm were recovered from Jumare and a Honda Hennessey 2000 model and two Honda Civic cars of 1996 models were recovered from Maxcillenous, respectively.

    He said the suspects who confessed to committing the crimes would be charged to court on completion of investigation.

     

  • Police battle four-man kidnappers’ gang in Port Harcourt

    Police battle four-man kidnappers’ gang in Port Harcourt

    The police Thursday intercepted a four-man gang of heavily armed suspected kidnappers operating along waterways and hinterland in Rivers and Bayelsa.

    Police spokesman Donald Awunah, stated this in a statement in Abuja.

    Awunah said the suspects were intercepted by the Inspector-General of Police (I-G) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) on Azikiwe Road, Port Harcourt, while on their way for an operation.

    He said that the IRT operatives, who acted on intelligence, were engaged in a gun battle by the “kidnappers’’ during which three of the latter were fatally wounded.

    He said that one James Peter, 30, from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa was arrested at the scene, while the rest escaped.

    “The arrested member of the gang has been cooperating with the police in their investigation by providing very valuable information on the membership of the gang and their mode of operation.

    “Weapons recovered from the kidnappers include one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), one AK47 rifle, chains of GPMG ammunition and two fully loaded AK47 magazines.

    “Efforts are in top gear to arrest fleeing members of the gang and recover their cache of arms,’’ the police spokesman said.

    He quoted the I-G, Mr Ibrahim Idris, as reiterating his appeal to Nigerians to keep assisting the police with valuable information on suspected criminals.

    Idris assured the public of renewed commitment on the part of the police in the fight against crime and other anti-social behaviours, Awunah said.

  • One dies in Lagos gang war

    N 18- year-old boy, Eva Endurance Ekpoto, was stabbed to death at the weekend after a fight broke out between two suspected cult groups, the “Eiyes” and “Aiyes”, at Kehinde Street, Ajegunle, Lagos.

    Ekpoto reportedly went for a birthday party with his friends, when an unidentified man pierced him with an object in the middle of a heated altercation.

    The Nation learnt that he was killed at Cemetery Market along Kehinde Street at Ajegunle. Scores of others, including a policeman, sustained injuries.

    His friends and others fled the scene while some persons, who recognised him, managed to get his body on a wheelbarrow to Layeni Police Station at Ojo road, close to his home on 69, Ezeagwu Street.

    The Divisional Police Officer at Layeni Police Station reportedly transferred the case to Ajeromi Station since the incident occurred within the jurisdiction.

    Officers at Ajeromi Police Station said his body has been deposited at the morgue.

    Two suspects, Segun Maliki and Imole Olanrewaju, have been arrested and transferred to Panti Station for further investigation.

    According to an Inspector of Police at Layeni Police Station, the area boys, “who brought the victim, took to their heels on arriving at the station”.

    He added: “From all indications, a tattoo was inscribed on his body. It shows it belongs to one of the cult groups. There was a party organised by a girl and you know they will want to claim supremacy. I think that led to the fight.”

    The mother of the deceased said: “That evening when I left for service, he was around. He is still a secondary school student about entering SS1. I pray God prevails because the real people that did this thing may not be seen. They might just catch innocent people.”

    Spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Dolapo Badmus, who confirmed the incident, said two suspects had been arrested.

  • Warring Mushin gang leaders arrested

    Calm has returned to Mushin, scene of gang wars spanning years, following the arrest of the leaders, The Nation gathered.

    The foot soldiers called boys, it was learnt, have fled, following their leaders’ arrest.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Mr Dawodu Olatunji has hailed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the restoration of peace in the area.

    “For two months now, peace has returned to Mushin. Thanks to our governor, who ordered the arrest of the gang leaders and their boys disappeared.

    “Mushin is now safe, no longer a hotbed of criminality. The hoodlums are killing themselves and not hoodlums versus the people,” he said.

    Olatunji thanked the governor for his intervention, saying the criminals are not from Mushin, but from other parts of the state.

    “I am born and bred in Mushin and like others; we grew up to imbibe some virtues

    to become responsible citizens. Not everybody in Mushin is criminals.”

    He noted that gangsterism, not robberies had reigned in the area, saying “ the supremacy fight between the gangs had always unleashed a reign of terror on Mushin.”

    He blamed politicians for allegedly raising armed gangs for elections and advised youths to reject guns and banditry and go for empowerment and jobs.

  • RRS smashes Okada robbery gang

    RRS smashes Okada robbery gang

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested three teenage robbers, who specialised in snatching motorcycles.

    Daniel Dali, 19 and two others were arrested on Friday around 10:48pm in Ajegunle by patrolling RRS men.

    Dali, an Okada rider from Cotonou in Benin Republic, and one of the other suspects had reportedly snatched an handbag from a woman, who shouted for help. Her cry attracted the RRS team, which chashed the duo. Dali escaped, but his accomplice was arrested. Dali and the other suspect was later arrested after the police combed the area.

    The suspects reportedly admitted at the RRS Headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja that they snatched the handbag, which they did not know contained two wraps of “fufu” and stew.

    At their apartment in Ajegunle, two of their roommates were also arrested but released after being quizzed by the police.

    A statement by RRS quoted Dali as describing himself as the syndicate’s Okada rider. He said he started Okada snatching last year after his mother’s death.

    “My mother’s death forced me into robbery. My mother gave me everything I wanted. If I need anything, I go to her and she would provide it for me, even when I was working. After her death, I had no helper. I mean, there was nobody to turn to again. My father lives in the village in Cotonou, but I don’t want to go back there.

    “I have been lynched in an operation before and abandoned at Ago–Hausa, Ajegunle but woke up the following day. I have been involved in countless robbery operations.

    The suspect added: “Bright and I have been to four operations. In one of our outing, we snatched a recharge card worth N35, 000. He sold it and gave me only N5,000. Although, there are occasional instances when we get nothing from operations but we don’t use guns. We have never operated with guns. We snatch bags, phones and other belongings and escape with Okada.

    “We have choice routes we operate. The areas we have operated are Boundary, Mile 2, New Roundabout, Wilmer and Ajegunle. Ashaolu was operating with Poly before he joined me. We use the Okada given to me by a woman for instalmental payment. This is the third time she would be buying Okada for me. One was stolen at gun point, another, faulty and then this. I have only paid, N75,000 out of N300,000.”

    Bright said he had only operated seven times.

    “During fuel crisis, we suck fuel from vehicles parked on the streets to operate. Several boys do this business in Ajegunle. I know of a team, that lives in different hotels, sleeps in day time and operates at night. This is the only job they do to survive,” he said.

    The suspects have been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

    Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), said the suspects have given information that would lead to the arrest of other gangs.