The Nation Newspaper

Tag: rob

  • ‘How we mix dusting powder with petrol to rob okada operators’

    Two suspected robbers, Yemi Adeyemi and Segun Ikudaisi have narrated how they improvised sedative by mixing dusting powder with petrol to dispossess commercial motorcyclists popularly called okada of their motorbikes.

    The suspects, who are members of a three-man robbery gang are currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    It was learnt that they had been terrorising okada operators in the Atan area of Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state lately.

    They were paraded by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ahmed Iliyasu at the state’s police command headquarters in Abeokuta.

    According to the police, the suspects would board a commercial motorcycle, cover the rider’s nose with a handkerchief containing the powder mixed with petrol. Once their victim become tranquilised, they would disposess him of the motorbike.

    Luck ran out on the duo after they were intercepted by policemen during another operation a few days ago.

    Ikudaisi, said he sold the first motorbike for N75,000 after he and Adeyemi tranquilised the owner with their improvised substance.

    He said the gun found in his possession was given to him by one of his friends who is also a robber.

    ”I have built a house. I was into trans-border smuggling activities between Benin Republic and Nigeria. I used to smuggle contraband like turkey and rice until I had a road accident following which I decided to join a robbery gang.”

    Adeyemi echoed Ikudaisi’s confession adding that they had been operating on Atan-Idiroko Road for a very long time.

    ”We have been operating along Atan-Idiroko Road and stole motorbikes from okada operators. We mixed dusting powder with petrol and wrapped the substance with a handkerchief which we used to tranquilise our victims by covering their face with it. Once they fell asleep we would push them off the motorbike and steal it.”

    CP Iliyasu said the fleeing member of the gang would be arrested adding that they would be charged to court at the completion of investigation.

  • How we rob night crawlers, by suspect

    How we rob night crawlers, by suspect

    “I ran into my friend and he invited me to join him visiting night clubs in the metropolis to rob clubbers. He told me it was very lucrative. I have discovered too that it is better than my butcher job at abattoir.”

    These were the words of a robbery suspect arrested by  operatives of Rapid Response squad (RRS) on Saturday.

    Nathaniel Peters, 28, was arrested in Abule-Egba, Lagos while RRS operatives were searching for another robber, who stabbed a woman after dispossessing her of her mobile phone.

    The officers, who stay near Abule-Egba Roundabout, heard a woman screaming for help around 5:20a.m.

    A statement by RRS said Peters, who was returning from a night club in Ikeja around 5 a.m., was nabbed while trying to escape.

    On interrogation, he said  he was coming from a night club in Ikeja where he had dispossessed clubbers of their laptop, phones and wrist watches.

    Items found on him include a laptop, three mobile phones, two wristwatches. The injured woman confirmed it was not Peter that robbed her.

    According to RRS, the suspect said he had been visiting night clubs particularly those in Ikeja to rob.

    The RRS  quoted him as saying: “I have been in this business since 2016. My friend, Sheriff introduced me to it. We were both butchers at the Agege Abattoir. At a point, he ran away after absconding with his boss’ N170,000.

    “I ran into him few months later and he invited me to join him visiting night clubs in the metropolis to rob clubbers. He told me it was very lucrative. I have discovered too that it is better than my butcher job at abattoir. We start operation around 3:30 a.m., when club activities are winding down and clubbers are beginning to dose off. We rob those standing alone, sleeping in cars and those that are drunk.

    “We take their valuables from them. We break into cars too. When clubbers are drunk, they hardly feel our hands removing their valuables from their pockets and bodies. We have a style of removing their gold rings while they are asleep. We sell the valuables to a friend, who takes them to Ghana to resell. But now, I operate alone.”

    Police spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP) said the case had been transferred to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS).

  • Police Sergeant, others ‘rob’ businessman of N620,000

    A Police Sergeant identified as Oluomo has fled after his gang allegedly robbed a Lagos businessman of N620,000.

    But, his gang members, Corporal Ewenta, a traffic officer at the Trade Fair Police Station and Ayorinde, described as a dismissed Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, were arrested by operatives of the Area E Command in Festac Town.

    It was learnt that the trio had accosted the businessman around Malu Road inward Apapa and blocked his Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with their motorcycle.

    They were said to have accused the man of flouting traffic laws and ordered him out of his vehicle.

    But the man, it was learnt insisted that he did not take ‘one-way’. The suspects refused to let him go and kept driving him round Apapa in his car, demanding that he pay a N125,000 fine.

    The man was said to have told the police that the suspects took the N500,000 cash they saw in his car. They also reportedly insisted on collecting a N125,000 bribe from him or they will take him to their station where he would pay N250,000 fine.

    It was gathered that the man begged for mercy as he thought they were kidnappers because they were making calls that they were bringing him.

    “They drove the man round for three hours insisting he must pay them N125,000  after collecting N500,000 from his car. They told him to go to the bank and withdraw money. They even drove him to Fidelity Bank on Old Ojo Road. One of the suspects entered the bank with the man while another one stood outside the bank.

    “Oluomo, according to the man, drove off with his car. So, at a point the man had access to his phone, he secretly called his friend and informed him that he has been kidnapped but the suspects collected it back from him. But they foolishly dropped it again and the man secretly sent text message to the friend, telling him he was at Fidelity Bank, Maza Maza.

    “It was his friend who called the Area E Commander and also the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) of Satellite Police station who trailed the victim and his attackers.

    “The man withdrew N120, 000 and the dismissed LASTMA official who followed him into the bank collected it. But the man later summoned courage and held the suspect firmly outside the banking hall, shouting ‘thieves’ ‘thieves’.

    “A crowd soon gathered and started beating the two suspects until the police came and took them to the station,” said a police source.

    Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent, did not reply to a text message sent to her phone at the time of filing this report.

  • My uncle gave me gun to rob —suspect

    A robbery suspect, Ifeanyi Chukwu Ida, who was nabbed while attempting to rob a trader at Uwelu Spareparts Market of the sum of N800,000, has told police operatives that his uncle, Peter, bought the gun used for the operation.

    Both uncle and nephew had a heated argument when they were paraded before newsmen at the premises of the Police Headquarters in Edo State.

    Ifeanyi said his uncle invited him to Benin City and gave him money to buy the gun after which he informed them about whom to collect from. He said his uncle promised to share the money into three parts after a successful operation.

    The police said the suspects however ran out of luck during the operation when Ifeanyi and other members of the gang were overpowered, but only Ifeanyi was caught.

    Said Ifeanyi: “What do you think would made me put such allegation on my uncle? My uncle sells motor parts at Uwelu and he bought the gun.”

    “He invited me to Benin and gave me money to go and buy a gun. He said I should use it to go and collect money from that trader. He has not paid us and promised to pay us after we brought the N800,000. I studied Marketing.”

    Peter denied buying the gun for Ifeanyi and described it as mere allegations. “I went to all-night prayer and when I returned they said police came and took my things away. I went to the police and they detained me. I have not seen this boy for over three years.”

  • Why I rob in traffic, by suspect

    Why I rob in traffic, by suspect

    A 37-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly robbing in traffic.

    The suspect, Michael Ogedengbe, who was caught by Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives in Surulere, Lagos Mainland, blamed his action on alcohol.

    According to the RRS, he had smashed the side screen of a motorist, robbed him of his handset, laptop and other valuables before he was arrested.

    One of his victims, Emmanuel Ugwunne, who was attacked inside his Honda Accord Saloon car with registration number, AGL 41 DC, attracted RRS operatives, when he shouted for help.

    RRS Commander, Olatunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said: “The policemen while on patrol duty saw Ugwunne crying for assistance after the suspect had damaged the windscreen and side mirror of his car to steal the valuable items.”

    Ogedengbe confirmed damaging the windscreen and side mirror of the car and stealing Ugwunne’s handset and laptop.

    “I didn’t do it ordinarily. It was because I just took some bottles of alcoholic drinks and liquor. I beg for forgiveness. Devil pushed me into the act,” he said.

    Disu said Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was committed to a crime-free state.

    “The governor is giving the Police Command all necessary support, and the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has charged all the policemen in the state to ensure that Lagos is free from all forms of crime and robbery during and after ember months,” he said.

    The Suspect has been transferred to the Special Anti Robbery Squad for further investigation.

  • Cook ‘drugs’ mistress to rob her

    Cook ‘drugs’ mistress to rob her

    A cook has landed in trouble for drugging her mistress in order to rob her.

    Mrs Omowunmi Fadojutimi hired the cook, Victor Hounkpe, David Amusu.

    Mrs Fadojutimi and her acquaintance, Nwogu Chinaka and two security men were hospitalized after taking the vegetable soup prepared by Hounkpe.

    Hounkpe and Amusu allegedly drugged the soup to enable them have unhindered access into the couple’s rooms to steal their valuables.

    The suspects, who were paraded by the Lagos State Police Command, claimed that they only wanted the couple to sleep off during the operation.

    According to Hounkpe, he was briefed on the operation and handed the concoction (drug) by Amusu.

    Their plan, he said, was to dispossess the woman of her gold jewellery, which would have only been possible if she was asleep.

    “It was David (Amusu) who brought me to work as a cook for his former boss. He was the one who told me that the Madam invests in gold. He told me the reason he wanted me to work as cook was to enable us rob her

    “I confirmed it when I started working there that she had plenty gold. So on that fateful day (April 22), he gave me something which he said was sleeping drug to put in the vegetable soup I was asked to cook to enable him come in so that we can rob the woman.

    “After eating the food, the woman and her husband slept. The two security men who also ate the food slept. We tried to enter the woman’s room but it was locked.

    “We became scared the way all of them were sleeping. We thought they were dead and so we ran away,” said the Beninoise.

    But Amusu, who admitted he brought Hounkpe for his former boss, denied giving him any pill. He said the Beninoise hatched the plot, adding that he grounded 10 tablets of Super Appetite.

    He said: “I did not give him any drug. I did not even know he drugged their food. It was when we went for the gold that I saw everybody sleeping.

    “I was scared because I thought they were dead. So when we realised the door was locked. I quickly ran out of the premises.

    “I left my former boss because I was not feeling well. I have recommended four cooks to her but she kept saying they were not good. Hounkpe was the last person I introduced to her. But when he got the job, he called me and said we should rob the family, that they were rich. He asked if I had any sleeping tablet that would put them to sleep. I grounded 10 tablets of Super Appetite and gave them to him. Our intention was never to kill anyone but to rob and leave for Benin Republic, where we intend to establish our business. But after the deed was done, Hounkpe called me and I went and stayed in front of the gate waiting for the next call to come in, only for him to announce that people were suspecting him. The devil pushed me into this because the family was nice to me when I was working there.”

    The Lagos State Police chief Kayode Aderanti said the offence was uncovered following a petition by Mrs Fadojutimi, who accused the suspects of attempted murder.

    According to the police boss, the complainant’s husband developed severe stomach ache after eating the meal and collapsed before he was rushed to the hospital.

    “The petitioner alleged that she engaged the services of Hounkpe as a domestic cook through Amusu who was her former cook.

    “She alleged that on April 22, at about 5pm, the cook was instructed to prepare vegetable soup for dinner for the family and all domestic staff.

    “The cook duly complied with the directive and every member of the household ate dinner as served. After dinner, the complainant’s husband, Chinaka developed severe stomach ache and collapsed.

    “The complainant immediately rushed her husband to a nearby hospital amidst her own severe pain having eaten the meal.

    “She became unconscious also at the gate of the hospital and both husband and wife were admitted for medical attention. Shortly after, two of the security guards of the complaint who ate the dinner were brought in unconscious in the same hospital.

    “It was discovered that shortly after serving the dinner, the cook, Hounkpe sneaked out of the house.”