The Nation Newspaper

Tag: robbers

  • Residents arrest ‘robbers’ kingpin’

    but for the intervention of the police, an alleged notorious leader of an armed robbery gang at Igando would have been lynched yesterday morning.

    Akeem Folorunso alias Scopion was apprehended around 5:30am, after he and another suspect at large, attacked residents of 6, Ismail Abass Street, Igando.

    They were said to have broke into the house and attempted to rape a female occupant, when the victim’s father prevented them.

    Angered by his obstruction, the suspects, it was gathered attacked the man before carting away his properties.

    Neighbours who discovered what was happening, surrounded the residence and also contacted the police.

    Scorpion was nabbed while his colleague escaped.

    It was gathered that the residents beat him to a coma and wanted to lynch him before policemen from Igando Division got to the scene and whisked him away.

    Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP) said the suspect was taken to the hospital.

  • Robbers attack police station in Ekiti State

    Robbers attack police station in Ekiti State

    Panic has gripped residents of Ido-Ekiti, headquarters of Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State, following a bloody attack on the town’s police station by a 40-man armed robbery gang on Friday night. A police inspector was killed while the station’s armory was looted by the suspected robbers. The robbers, who stormed the station at about 7.20 pm, attacked the station with dynamite which shattered facilities into smithereens.

    The robbers, on gaining access into the station, opened fire on the Inspector who later died of the injuries he sustained in the attack. Few policemen were on duty at the station at the time of the attack, so the robbers met little or no resistance. The hoodlums also ransacked all the rooms in the police station in search of policemen and weapons.

    Policemen were in mourning mood when reporters visited the station as they grief over the killing of the Inspector. One of the officers at the station who asked not be named, disclosed that some of the robbers drove recklessly into the station while other members of the gang scaled the fence and headed straight to the armory.

    The source said: “They drove in recklessly and took over the entire police station. Some even scaled the fence and took strategic  positions. They shot into the air sporadically and destroyed virtually every room. Our suspicion was that they case to loot the armoury because that was what they first attacked after demobilizing our men. In fact, they emptied the entire place.”

    On whether the suspects might have invaded the station to free some suspects, the source replied: “That is not true because nobody was detained in the cell as at the time they incident took place.”

    Efforts to speak with Ekiti police command spokesman Alberto Adeyemi was not successful as his mobile phones were switched off, but one of the policemen at the Ido station confirmed that Adeyemi visited earlier in the day to obtain first hand information.

  • Police kill two suspected robbers in Warri

    Police kill two suspected robbers in Warri

    Less than 48 hours after four suspected robbers were killed in a gun battle with men of the Delta State Police Command in Warri, two other suspected robbers were killed on Tuesday night in another part of the town.

    It was learnt that the suspects were in another four-man gang which, on Tuesday, attempted to kidnap a woman near the Atie Arubi Junction on Deco Road.

    After soldiers on guard at the home former governor of the old Midwestern region, Maj.-Gen. David Ejoor (retd) foiled the attempted kidnap, the hoodlums reportedly dispossessed residents of their valuables.

    But following a tip-off from the public, the Anti-Robbery patrol team of ‘B’ Division of the Warri Area Command reportedly trailed the hoodlums’ vehicle to Ogboru.

    They were said to have been caught while dispossessing residents of their belongings and cash.

    On sighting the police team, the suspects reportedly engaged the police in a gun duel.

    Two of the gang members were said to have been seriously injured while the other two reportedly escaped with bullet injuries.

    Items recovered from the suspects include a cut-to-size locally-made rifle and ammunition as well as a long dagger.

    Police spokesperson Celestina Kalu, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the command was probing the incident.

    In a statement, she said: “On September 27, at 2250 hours (10.50 p.m), an anti-crime patrol team, led by ASP Amos Samuel, following a distress call, intercepted two suspected robbers – Joshua Godwin, male, 17, of 23 Ogedegbe Street and Ogeneogu Idogor,  male, 25, of Unuma Iyara, all in Warri, operating on Ogboru Street, robbing the people.

    “On exchange of fire, two of them were arrested with serious gunshot injuries. One locally-made pistol, one dagger and one Nokia phone were recovered from them. The suspects died while on their way to a hospital. Their bodies have been deposited at the General Hospital mortuary for autopsy. The scene of crime was visited and investigation in progress.”

  • Robbers attack LASTMA official

    Robbers attack LASTMA official

    Suspected armed robbers yesterday attacked a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, Taiwo Ogunleye, injuring his head.

    The armed men numbering two, allegedly waylaid the victim at around 5:45am at Akesan, along Igando Road, while he was going to work.

    According to Ogunleye, the robbers pointed a pistol at him in an attempt to dispossess him of his phones and wallet.

    “I was not wearing uniform and I was the only one walking on the road. It was around 5:45am at Joshua Folorunsho bus stop, Akesan. They were two and they just came to me and pointed a pistol at me.

    “They used something to hit my head. I don’t know what exactly. But I summoned courage and pushed them away. That was how I fled. My head was paining me but I didn’t know that there was serious injury there.

    “When I got to my office at Oshodi, people saw the injury and I was taken to the clinic. Armed robbers are always attacking people in that area. It is very common,” he said.

  • Gunmen attack Lebanese in Lagos

    Gunmen suspected to be robbers Wednesday attacked a Labenese man in Lagos, stealing an undisclosed sum of money from him.

    The armed men numbering about four, were said to have stormed the Adele Road in Apapa on motorcycles, trailing their victim who just left a commercial bank where he withdrew some money.

    They were said to have operated as though they had information on who to attack as the gunmen allegedly rode close to their victim and demanded that he release the money he got from the bank to them.

    According to an eyewitness, Adamu, they shot the victim on the leg and whisked away the money as well as his mobile phones.

    People were said to have scampered for safety at the sound of the gunshot, making it easy for the criminals to escape.

    Adamu who said it was one of the robbers on the passenger seat who pulled the trigger, added that onlookers contacted the Apapa Police Station after the robbers zoomed off.

    It was gathered that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Apapa, Rotimi Odutona, a Superintendent of Police  (SP) led some detectives to the scene and rushed the victim to the Lagoon Hospital, Apapa.

    Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent  (SP) could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.

  • Robbers snatch ‘N.9m from bank customer’

    Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers on Thursday dispossessed a bank customer of about N900,000.

    The incident occurred around 1:30pm, at Idimu, a Lagos suburb.

    It was gathered that the customer was going to the bank to deposit the money when the gunmen snatched it from him.

    The Nation learnt that the hoodlums, who rode on a motorcycle, trailed the victim to the bank before collecting the money.

    It was gathered that they fled before policemen could get to the scene.

    Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP) said the police were on the trail of the suspects.

    “The command is on the trail of the fleeing suspects. Our men have been arresting them and I am optimistic this won’t be different,” said Badmos.

  • Oyo lawmaker ‘killers’: we’re robbers

    Oyo lawmaker ‘killers’: we’re robbers

    •Police parade four suspects •Three declared wanted 

    WHO are those who killed a member of Oyo State House of Assembly, Gideon Aremu, last July 1?

    One of the suspects, Ayobami Adedeji yesterday said they were “robbers and not assassins”.

    Adedeji (23) and three others – Adediran Oladapo (31), Kareem Isiaka and Sodiq Adedeji (20) – were paraded by Police Commissioner Leye Oyebade at the Police Command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan.

    Aremu was killed in front of his home in Alakia area as he alighted from his car to open his gate.

    Three gunmen on a motorcycle were said to have trailed him to the house and shot him severally after a brief argument.

    In an attempt to speed up the killers’ arrest,  Governor Abiola Ajimobi placed a N5 million bounty on their heads.

    Narrating how the lawmaker was killed, Adedeji said they did not know his status before one of them called ‘Abbey’ shot him after collecting his mobile phone and money.

    He said: “We met at our usual Awo joint in Beere area, Ibadan, to carry out a robbery operation at Adegbayi, Ibadan on that fateful day.

    “We did not track the lawmaker to his residence, but it was one of us called Abbey that his mother reside in Adegbayi that brought the job to rob the lawmaker to us. I did not know why Abbey shot him, but the only thing they gave me was N40,000, which was my share of the operation.”

    Adedeji, who described himself as an ex-convict, said he was jailed last year for selling Indian hemp, but was later pardoned after spending a year at the Agodi prison in Ibadan by the Attorney General.

    The suspect claimed that he became friends with Abbey, Kola Mission and Yusuff Ikire at Awo joint, around Ogunmola compound in Beere after he was released from prison.

    He noted that on the day they killed the lawmaker, they took off from the Awo joint after taking Indian hemp, which was served to them by one Dele Awo.

    But one of the suspects, Sodiq Kareem, who is a suspected receiver of stolen goods, claimed that he was not aware that the late lawmaker’s phone he bought was stolen.

    “It was Kola and Yusuf that sold the lawmaker’s phone to me for N12,500, but I could not make use of it because it was locked and has a security code. So, I gave it to Kareem Isiaka (aka Alfa) to unlock for me or sell. Alfa sold it to Adeniran Oladapo for N16,000,” he said.

    Isiaka confirmed collecting the phone from Sodiq to sell but did not know that it was a stolen phone.

    Oyebade said the arrest was made possible by a combined team of Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and detectives from the state police command.

    “The suspects did not have the knowledge of the status of the lawmaker. As robbers, their intention was to rob him of valuable property in his possession. The victim was killed because they thought he could identify them due to a torch flashed on them during the operation,” he said.

    The police boss declared wanted three of the fleeing members of the gang, who include Abbey, Kola Mission, and Yusuf Ikire.

    He added that anyone with useful information that could lead to their arrest should contact the police command.

    The police commissioner saluted the patience of the family of the victim, the understanding of the government and the people.

    Oyebade assured that no criminal would commit crime of any magnitude in the state and get away with it.

    The lawmaker representing Ibadan North State Constituency II, Mr. Segun Olaleye, hailed the effort of the police in arresting his colleague’s killers.

    “It is very clear to the world now that Aremu was not killed politically, but by armed robbers. It’s not up to two months now and they have exposed the face of these evil perpetrators and I am sure those that flee too will soon be caught,” he said.

     

  • Bayelsa launches manhunt for militants, vandals, robbers

    Bayelsa State at the weekend began the enforcement of its new strategy to end the menaces of militancy, pipeline vandalism, pirate attacks, kidnapping and other criminal activities along the waterways and creeks of the state.

    The governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, inaugurated a former militant leader, Mr. Africanus Ukparasia, popularly known as ‘General’ Africa, as the Chairman of the state Waterway Security Taskforce.

    At the inaugural ceremony which reportedly took place at the Banquet Hall, Yenagoa, Dickson was said to have mandated the taskforce to provide security agencies with required intelligence to deal with criminals.

    The ceremony which later moved to Africa’s palatial home attracted youths and leaders  from different parts of the state including the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Tiwe Oruminighe and the state Secretary of the party, Mr. Marlin Daniel.

    Youths were seen engaging in wrestling competition, dancing and singing at Africa’s compound where friends and family members including some former ex-militants went to identify with him.

    In his remarks, Africa assured the government of adequate security and intelligence gathering along the waterways of the state.

    He said criminals would no longer be allowed to take over the waterways to kill innocent people and subject travellers and traders to untold hardship.

    He warned sea robbers and other criminals operating in the state to leave the creeks or face tough times.

    Speaking on the choice of Africa, Oruminighe hailed Dickson for the appointment and said though the ex-militant leader is a member of APC, security is for everybody.

    He said Dickson, though a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), recently visited President Muhammadu Buhari to seek ways of solving the Niger Delta problem.

  • Inspector shot by robbers alive, say police

    Inspector shot by robbers alive, say police

    The police in Lagos yesterday said the Inspector who was shot by gunmen at the Idimu area of the state is alive.

    According to a statement, the command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP) said the Inspector identified as Musa and attached to the Police Mobile Force (PMF) Keffi, Lagos was rushed to Ikeja General Hospital where the bullet was extracted.

    Badmos also disclosed that the policeman was trailed from the bank and shot in the face in a bid to dispossess him of the money he was carrying.

    It was learnt that Musa, who was not dressed in Police uniform had gone to make some withdrawals from a commercial bank on Okunola Road in Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area.

    The gunmen, who stormed the place on two motorcycles and had earlier killed a bank customer, were said to have trailed him to his Ford Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), where he was shot on the head.

    Badmos said: “The gang had targeted a customer coming out of a bank, the customer who was later identified as an Inspector of police was fired on the face in order to dispossess him of the money he’s carrying in a bag. The sound of the shooting attracted the IGP’s team and patrolmen from Idimu who swiftly moved to the scene.

    “On sighting the operatives, the robbers opened fire and the team responded which led to two of the robbers being hit by bullets. The robbers were rushed to hospital where they were confirmed dead while the victim is recovering in the hospital.

    “The case was transferred to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), where investigation revealed that the suspect Gafar Ismail is on the wanted list of the command for cases of Okada robbery.”

    It was gathered that detectives from SARS stormed the bank premises yesterday to apprehend an employee fingered by Ismail as their informant.

    Ismail was quoted as saying: “We have a bank worker who usually informs us whenever any customer withdraws huge amount. We would position our motorcycles around the bank and wait for the customer. Immediately we sight the person we would ride our bike close and snatch the money. We usually shoot if the person put up resistance. At the end of any operation, we would give him the largest chunk and share the rest amongst ourselves. We were told that the last customer withdrew over N300,000 but we were not successful as the police chased and got us.”

     

  • Man wrestles robbers after beating wife to coma

    Man wrestles robbers after beating wife to coma

    A man has foiled a robbery on his Ajegunle, Lagos home through his bravery.

    Segun Viho, according to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), fought with the three suspected robbers when they beat up his wife.

    One of the suspects, Wasiu Bashir, 22, was arrested through Viho’s bravery. Others fled.

    A statement yesterday by RRS said the suspects waylaid Viho at the car park, snatched his documents, phones and N15,000 at gun point before leading him to his flat.

    Two of them was said to have threatened to kill Viho in the presence of his children and wife on entering his flat last Tuesday.

    Bashir smashed Viho’s head with gun butt and beat up the wife when the family resisted them.

    RRS quoted Viho as saying: “When he started beating my wife, I summoned courage to engage him. As soon as we started fighting, his colleague took to his heels.

    He too tried to run but I held him and I called out to neighbours, seized his gun and just in the nick of time, RRS officers on patrol arrived and they arrested him”.

    Bashir reportedly told RRS: “We know he goes to work early in his car and we decided to ambush him. We were three, Michael and I followed him into his flat to collect more money while Joseph was monitoring the situation outside. The three of us met at a point near boundary in Ajegunle. That is where we plan and set out for our operations. We operate early in the morning and late evening.”

    Last Monday, RRS also arrested another armed suspected robber in Ikotun.

    Tunde Adedeji, 23 and his 10-man robbery gang invaded Muslim and Omotayo Streets in Ikotun, robbing the occupants of three buildings.

    Two of the three buildings are on Muslim Street; the third is on Omotayo Street.

    Over 25 victims relived their ordeal to the police when they stormed RRS Headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja, on learning about the arrest of one of the suspects.

    Many of them were macheted.

    The victims, who came to Alausa in three commercial buses, were invited one after the other to identify the suspect and their belongings from the 18 mobile phones, trinkets and assorted jewellery, recovered from his back-pack.

    Adedeji reportedly told RRS: “Around midnight, Sadiq, Sule, Ijoba, myself and six others whose names I don’t know met and discussed about the robbery.

    I was invited for the operation by Sadiq. We met at Ikotun Egbe. We discussed the plan and at around 2am, we converged on Ikotun Roundabout.

    “The arms we used for the operation were cutlasses, wood and sticks. None of us had a gun. We used legs to break doors and took phones, jewellery, laptops from our victims. All the recovered items from me were from the victims. Sule and I were coming from the operation around 4am when a local security man intercepted us.

    “We ran away, but, I was later arrested by RRS officials on patrol.”

    Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), said Bashir has been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), office in Ikeja.

    Adedeji, she added, was transferred to Ikotun Police Station with the recovered items.