Indian hemp helps us to rob – Suspects

Three members of a notorious robbery gang that specialised in car snatching have been arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja.

Vanguard gathered that the bandits who were identified as  Jamiu Agoola, Toyib Oyeyinka and Lanre Otunola were apprehended after they robbed two cars in Surulere area.

The command spokesman, Ngozi Braide, who paraded  the suspects, said SARS operatives, led by SP Abba Kyari, received information that two robbed cars, Honda Acura MDX SUV, 2013 model, with number plate AKD 09 AA, grey colour and Toyota Highlander SUV, silver volour with number plate AGL 327 CD were parked by robbers along Market Street, Oyingbo area.

She said: “They were looking for buyers when  SARS operatives  sighted the vehicles and laid ambush for 11 hours before arresting the three suspects, Jamiu Agboola, 20; Tolbu Oyeyinka, 24 and Lanre Otunola ,18, who came to pick the vehicles by 5 a.m.

“The suspects confessed to have robbed people of the cars in Coker Street, Aguda, Surulere area the previous day and two  locally made pistols and four  live cartridges were recovered.”

Indian hemp helped  us to rob.

When Vanguard spoke with the suspects, Jamiu said he was a  bus conductor but joined the robbery gang when he lost his father.

He said: “I am from Ibadan, OyoState.  I am a bus conductor. When poverty wanted to play with my life, I joined the robbery gang but I vowed not to shoot my victims rather to intimidate them with gun and get what I want from them.

“My parents equally live in Pako House in Oyingbo. We used guns to operate.  The victim wanted to come out from his house but we rushed him with gun.

“I am a certified bus conductor because I am member of National Union of Road Transport Workers. Indian hemp helped me to rob.

“I have participated in robbery and car snatching three times.  The first one we got 37 phones after house-to-house operation.  The second operation failed and we managed to escape alive when SARS operatives came after us. The third operation yielded these two vehicles that resulted in our being arrested.

The third suspect, Otunola, said: “I am from Ilorin, KwaraState. My work is wood cutting after bringing logs from forest. I became an armed robber when my mother became sick and I had no money to treat her. I have participated in robbery more than three times.

“It was this last operation that put me in trouble. A buyer called me to look for somebody to get him good cars to buy. He said one buyer called Ibadan needed two Camry cars, one Baale also needed a car.

“I then contacted Jamiu, our gang leader, and we went to look for cars. I should blame the local government, state  and Federal governments for making me take to robbery because they did not create jobs nor created good environment that could generate self employment.”

Vanguard