we do pray before each and every operation
Four members of a robbery gang who were arrested by
the Lagos Police Command have said they usually
pray to God before each an every operation.
One of the suspected robbers, name Mutalubi Abdullahi,
explained that the prayer was to ensure that only ‘sinners’
would be dealt with by the gang, while the ‘innocent’
would be set free.
Abdullahi, who was arrested along with Ismaila Moruf,
Opeyemi Akinyemi and Sarah Emmanuel, were arrested by
the police on Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the
command,
PUNCH Metro learnt that the gang, which usually carry on operations on commercial motorcycles also called okada, made use
of three locally-made guns in their operations.
According to the police, the female member of the gang,
Emmanuel, allegedly supplied two of the three guns.
The police said the robbers, who were arrested
from their hideouts in Iyana Iyesi, Sango Ota,
Ogun State, also operated in the Agege, Isolo and Oshodi
areas.
It was gathered that the mode of operation of the gang
was to attack unsuspecting motorists and pedestrians on
the expressway early in the morning and during traffic
hitches.
But the 29-year-old Abdullahi from Igbeti, Oyo State, said him
and his members of the gang were driven into robbery
by poverty. He said they rob those who deserved to be robbed.
He also said, “That is why they usually prayed to God before
embarking on any operation. The prayer was for God to
protect them and to bring only sinners that is the rich our way so that those who were innocent would be spared.
“I was formerly working as a panel beater in Oyingbo,
Lagos State. I started armed robbery just last year. I have gone on robbery operations about 10 times.
“The gang has three guns. We only use the guns to scare people. Mile 2 Expressway, Alapere and Oshodi
are areas where do operate. The money I made from
panel beating and okada riding was not sufficient for me that
was why I took robbery as a work.
30-year-old Akinyemi, who was an also once an okada rider
before joining the gang, said he made about N25,000 from
each robbery operation they carry out.
He said, “I was an okada rider, but when I had an accident
with the okada, I stopped the business. I made about
N25,000 each from about four operations I went with the
gang. Our style was to attack people during traffic hold up.
My wife did not know I was a member of a robbery gang.
It is true that we prayed before our operations, asking for
protection as we went out.”
Moruf, 30 from Epe, Lagos, said he was lured into the
gang after his job as a roadside mechanic did not bring
sufficient income.
The only female in the gang, 31-year-old Emmanuel, who
allegedly supplied them with guns, said her friend,
Modinat, convinced her to buy the guns for the gang.
She added that apart from getting guns for the gang, she
had not gone for any operation.
She said, “I was working as a hairdresser. It was one of
my friends, Modinat, who called me and said the gang
needed a gun. Modinat was a girlfriend to one of them.
She then asked me to come with her and I did. We got the
two guns for N25,000 at Idi Iroko from some mechanics.
That was in February. I know I am guilty.”
Our correspondent learnt that the gang was arrested, after
several complaints had reached the former commissioner
of police, AIG Umar Manko, about robberies in the area.
It was gathered that Manko had then directed SARS
Commander, SP Abba Kyari, to go after the robbers.
A police source at the command said investigations into
the matter were ongoing.
we do pray before each and every operation
Four members of a robbery gang who were arrested by
the Lagos Police Command have said they usually
pray to God before each an every operation.
One of the suspected robbers, name Mutalubi Abdullahi,
explained that the prayer was to ensure that only ‘sinners’
would be dealt with by the gang, while the ‘innocent’
would be set free.
Abdullahi, who was arrested along with Ismaila Moruf,
Opeyemi Akinyemi and Sarah Emmanuel, were arrested by
the police on Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the
command,
PUNCH Metro learnt that the gang, which usually carry on operations on commercial motorcycles also called okada, made use
of three locally-made guns in their operations.
According to the police, the female member of the gang,
Emmanuel, allegedly supplied two of the three guns.
The police said the robbers, who were arrested
from their hideouts in Iyana Iyesi, Sango Ota,
Ogun State, also operated in the Agege, Isolo and Oshodi
areas.
It was gathered that the mode of operation of the gang
was to attack unsuspecting motorists and pedestrians on
the expressway early in the morning and during traffic
hitches.
But the 29-year-old Abdullahi from Igbeti, Oyo State, said him
and his members of the gang were driven into robbery
by poverty. He said they rob those who deserved to be robbed.
He also said, “That is why they usually prayed to God before
embarking on any operation. The prayer was for God to
protect them and to bring only sinners that is the rich our way so that those who were innocent would be spared.
“I was formerly working as a panel beater in Oyingbo,
Lagos State. I started armed robbery just last year. I have gone on robbery operations about 10 times.
“The gang has three guns. We only use the guns to scare people. Mile 2 Expressway, Alapere and Oshodi
are areas where do operate. The money I made from
panel beating and okada riding was not sufficient for me that
was why I took robbery as a work.
30-year-old Akinyemi, who was an also once an okada rider
before joining the gang, said he made about N25,000 from
each robbery operation they carry out.
He said, “I was an okada rider, but when I had an accident
with the okada, I stopped the business. I made about
N25,000 each from about four operations I went with the
gang. Our style was to attack people during traffic hold up.
My wife did not know I was a member of a robbery gang.
It is true that we prayed before our operations, asking for
protection as we went out.”
Moruf, 30 from Epe, Lagos, said he was lured into the
gang after his job as a roadside mechanic did not bring
sufficient income.
The only female in the gang, 31-year-old Emmanuel, who
allegedly supplied them with guns, said her friend,
Modinat, convinced her to buy the guns for the gang.
She added that apart from getting guns for the gang, she
had not gone for any operation.
She said, “I was working as a hairdresser. It was one of
my friends, Modinat, who called me and said the gang
needed a gun. Modinat was a girlfriend to one of them.
She then asked me to come with her and I did. We got the
two guns for N25,000 at Idi Iroko from some mechanics.
That was in February. I know I am guilty.”
Our correspondent learnt that the gang was arrested, after
several complaints had reached the former commissioner
of police, AIG Umar Manko, about robberies in the area.
It was gathered that Manko had then directed SARS
Commander, SP Abba Kyari, to go after the robbers.
A police source at the command said investigations into
the matter were ongoing.
