The Nation Newspaper

Tag: robbery kingpin

  • Police kill suspected robbery kingpin

    The police in Katsina State have killed a suspected robbery kingpin, Kane Mohammed, alias ‘Dan mai-keke’.

    Mohammed, 35, had been on the wanted list for some time.

    Spokesman Gambo Isa in a statement to reporters yesterday in Katsina, said the incident occurred on January 4 at old market area, a notorious criminals’ hideout in Bakori Local Government, when the police were on patrol.

    He said the patrol team was attacked by the hoodlums with dangerous weapons, during which one policeman was injured.

    Isa added that the police shot the kingpin and he sustained injury and died later in a Bakori hospital while receiving treatment.

    He said the suspect had been on the wanted list for terrorising Bakori and Funtua residents.

    The spokesman said investigations were on to arrest other members of the gang.

  • Police arrest suspected robbery kingpin in Bayelsa

    The Police Command in Bayelsa said yesterday that it had arrested a suspected kingpin of a notorious armed robbery gang and recovered arms and ammunition in his apartment.

    Its spokesperson, Asinim Butswat, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) at Ovom, Yenagoa, arrested the suspect, whose identity was not disclosed, on Monday.

    “Upon thorough search of his house, the operatives recovered one Browning Pistol, breech number PK401158 with three rounds of live ammunition.

    “The police also recovered one locally made revolver pistol with four rounds of live ammunition, one locally made single barrel pistol with four live AAA cartridges and one Toshiba laptop.

    “Other items include two Infinix phones, one Techno phone, four daggers and one basin full of bags of weed suspected to be Indian hemp.”

    Butswat said efforts had been intensified to arrest other gang members and that they would be charged to court when caught.

    The spokesman assured that the police would intensify operations on the hideouts of suspected armed robbers and cultists in the state.

  • Fleeing notorious robber killed in Ogun

    Fleeing notorious robber killed in Ogun

    A fleeing member of a robbery gang who shot and injured the former Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ogbere Division, Mr. Adeyinka Akingbade, was shot dead on Christmas Day during a gun duel with policemen in Ijebu – Ife, Ogun State.

    The suspect, who fled to Delta State after shooting Adeyinka, was placed on the wanted list of the Ogun State Police Command.

    The former DPO was shot and gravely injured by the gang during one of their robbery operations at Itele- Ijebu where policemen had gone to engage them in gun duel.

    The injured officer is still recuperating at an undisclosed hospital in Ogun State.

    The state police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said in a statement that police got a tip – off that the suspect was sighted in a drinking joint in Ijebu – Ife but on getting to the location, he had left.

    Abimbola added that further search led the police to his house where he was shot dead during gun duel between him and policemen.

    “Luck, however, ran on him on Christmas day when police operatives received information that he was sighted in a beer parlour at Itawade area of Ijebu Ife.

    “Upon the information, the policemen swiftly moved to the place, but before getting there, he had left the place.

    “He was however traced to his in- law house where the police operatives caught up with him. Having realized that the game is up, he brought out a pistol and started firing at the policemen.

    “The operatives were left with no other alternative than to fire back consequence upon which he was shot dead.

    “Recovered from him are a locally made pistol, a matchet, assorted charms and a Toyota Highlander jeep with two different registration numbers,” he stated.

     

     

     

  • Police arrest suspected robbery kingpin in Enugu 

    The Enugu State Police Command said yesterday that it had arrested a suspected robbery kingpin, Chukwudi Chigbata, who had been on the wanted list in the last three months.

    Spokesman Ebere Amaraizu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu that Chigbata was placed on the wanted list over alleged nefarious activities in Uzo-uwani Local Government and its environs.

    He said the suspect was nabbed at the weekend following a tip-off.

    His words: “A notorious robbery kingpin and suspected cultist, who has been a thorn in the flesh of inhabitants of Adani in Uzo-uwani Council, has been arrested on Ogurugu Road axis of the council.

    “The suspect, identified as Chukwudi Chigbata, who also claimed that he is a commercial bus driver, was arrested by the eagle-eyed police operatives of the command at a drinking joint through intelligence information.

    “The suspect has been on the wanted list of the operatives over his robbery and other nefarious activities within Uzo-uwani Local Government and its environs.”

    Amaraizu said the suspect was helping the police in their investigation.

  • Police kill Ekiti ‘robbery kingpin’

    Police kill Ekiti ‘robbery kingpin’

    The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Ekiti State yesterday   killed a “robbery kingpin”, Gbenga Matthew, popularly called Orimeji Omo Bose.

    Orimeji was killed at 3 am in a gun duel between his five-man gang and the SARS team at Akodi-Edemo in Odo Ado.

    His body, which was tattooed with his nickname and other signs, was paraded at the police headquarters before being taken to the mortuary.

    Command’s spokesman Alberto Adeyemi addressed a news briefing on the development at 7 am.

    The deceased has been terrorising Ado-Ekiti and environs for over 12 years and was believed to be the mastermind of many robberies.

    Orimeji was arrested several times in the past and charged to court. He was among those that escaped  from the Ado-Ekiti prisons on November 30.

    Acting on a tip-off, the police swooped on the area a few minutes after being informed of a robbery operation.

    Orimeji and his gang was operating in the neighbourhood when the SARS men arrived. A gun duel ensued affter the gang fired at the police.

    Adeyemi described the killing as a “breakthrough”, urging the public to cooperate with the command by giving information leading to the arrest of criminals.

    He said: “Early yesterday morning, the officer in charge of SARS got a tip-off that robbers were operating in Akodi Edemo. The team got to the area and met a gang of five in operation. The robbers opened fire on the SARS team, which arrested them alive.

    “Two SARS officials were injured in the gun battle. Orimeji jumped down from the house and was trying to reload his rifle; it was at that point our men were left with no choice but to shoot him.

    “The other members of the gang escaped with injuries. We are appealing to the public and hospitals not to treat anyone with bullet wounds; they should instead call the nearest police station.

    “Leader of the gang, Gbenga Matthew, alias Orimeji, was a notorious robber with a 12-year track record.

    “We have arrested him on several occasions and charged him to court. He was among those that escaped in the last prison break in Ekiti.

    “We understand that Ekiti has three robbery gangs. We have smashed one by killing  Orimeji. We are intensifying efforts to get the other two.

    “About N120,000 and $3 were recovered from him. His rifle, a locally-made one, is also there with him”.

  • Suspected notorious robbery kingpin held

    Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Lagos, had a major harvest yesterday. They arrested the leader of a notorious robbery gang that had been terrorising Lagos and South West states.

    It was gathered that the suspect, Abiodun Ogunjobi, aka ‘Abbey Godogodo,’ was caught when the SARS operatives who had long been on his trail at his Egbeda, Ibadan, Oyo State home. The operatives were there for three weeks before they finally got at him, recovering two Ak47 rifles and 10 fully-loaded magazines.

    It was further gathered that the suspect was behind the July 7 gruesome murder of seven persons at O4 Hotel, Ajah area of Lagos, including its owner, Olanrewaju Subair.

    They also allegedly killed two security guards at a popular hotel, along Apapa Road, Ebute-Metta on the same day.

    Police sources disclosed that Godogodo escaped arrest on July 14 after his gang’s shoot-out with the SARS operatives on the Eko Bridge, Lagos Island, after killing two policemen at Ebute-Ero and Ajao Estate respectively.

    A police source said Godogodo had coordinated several bank robberies in Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Osun states, adding: “He is the biggest and most notorious armed robber we’ve had in the South West in the past 14 years.  We arrested him 11am today in his Olowu area of Egbeda, Ibadan mansion. Godogodo has killed over 50 policemen and many civilians… we have been arresting many of his boys, but he kept on recruiting to replace those arrested. Our officer, Abba Kyari changed his strategy and focused on him because without getting at him, his gang would continue to regenerate. This is a great victory for the Nigeria Police and Lagosians and South West in particular.”

    The 36-year-old suspect, who is a native of Abeokuta, Ogun State, confessed to reporters:”I started robbery in 1996 and in 1999 I was charged with fighting. I spent more than seven years in prison. My prolonged stay in prison for minor crime of fighting hardened me and I vowed to pay back the police for that injustice. After I was released, I went to Gatangwa in Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos to meet my armed robber friend, Odun, who was arrested by the police recently at O4 Hotel in Ajah.

    “We started operating. We worked with several other gangs and I invested my loot in arms buying. I also built five houses in Ifo, Ilaro, Ikorodu and Ibadan. I usually kill policemen and take their rifles because policemen killed several of my boys and took most of my rifles from them. I have no regrets for all I have done I have no advice for young people who wants to become armed robbers like me. I have three children from three women. The police should take all my properties.” Commissioner of Police Umar Manko has ordered for his treatment before he would be tried at the court.