Police in Lagos State have arrested a graduate of University of Lagos and his gang over car snatching in Lagos State, Ogun State and other south western region of the country.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti , parading the suspects before journalists on Tuesday at the State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, Lagos said January 17, a staff of Channels Television reported the snatching of her Sport Utility Vehicles at gun point around Opic along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Ogun State.
“Immediately the incident was reported, I order the officer in charge of the state Special Ant-Robbery Squad (SARS), Abba Kyari, to launch a massive manhunt of the robbers. Three of the armed robbery suspects were arrested in Ojodu and Ikorodu areas of Lagos” the CP recounted.
The suspects were identified as Maven Bali, 40, Cheikube Emeka, 32, Ejike Chukwuemeka, 37, Nura Mohammed, 33, Jacob Ali, 28, Titus Johana, 31 and Richard Augustine 3o.
According to Chukwuemeka, “I study accounting from the University of Lagos in 2006, after my graduation, I worked briefly at the Apapa Tincan as a clearing agent. When the business was not going well as expected, I travelled to South Africa for the pursuit of greener pasture.
“Before I travelled to South Africa I had known Emeka, at Apapa, where I work before I travelled, when the country where I went was no more conducive for me, I decided to come back home.”
The receiver of the stolen vehicles, Nura Muhammed, said “A friend of mine who is late now introduced me to the leader of the gang.
“I resided in Kano, whenever there is car, the leader of the gang will call me on phone, and the car will be driven down to me at the Niger boarder post, there is always a buyer from Niger waiting.
“I have received about 14 stolen cars from the suspects; I started the business since 2012.”
Lagos CP, Kayode Aderanti said Nura had been on the wanted list of the Nigerian Police since 2010 before he was arrested by SARS operatives.
Muhammed continued, “When I came back to Nigeria Last year June, I went back to search of Emeka, and then introduced him to the snatching of cars on the highways. When he agreed with me that was how will start the operation with the recruitment of other.
“Our mode of operation is the stealing of cars parked on the roadside, with our locally made gun. After any vehicles we take it straight to one Alhaji Nuran house in Kano, where he helps us to dispose it.
On Chukwuemeka’s account, “I was inside my house at Ojodu relaxing when the policemen came and arrested me. I regretted my action, I don’t know what my parents would say when they see me in television being paraded as robber.
Augustine on his own said “I have never been involved in armed robbery before, I am a graduate of Federal University of Technology Minna, where I study fishery and farming.
“I and my family members resided in Nassarawa State, during the inter communal clash in the state, I was attacked by the Fulani herdsmen that was why I went to buy a locally made gun for self defence of my family and I, but when my friend Emeka whom I had known in Lagos approach me that he needed to protect himself.
“I gave the gun to him being my friend I never knew they wanted to use the gun for robbery. It was when I went to his house to collect the gun back, there the police arrest me.”
