My gang planned to rob all houses on two streets in one night —Suspect

A member of a trans-border armed robbery gang, Abdullai Olanrewaju has been arrested by the police in Lagos State, while efforts are on to arrest other members of his gang.

In his confessional statement, he disclosed that his eight-man gang had planned to rob all the houses on Abeje and Onibeju streets, the night they were arrested by the police.

Abdullai however insisted that he agreed to be part of the robbery, after members of the gang promised to buy a bus for him to use for commercial purpose.

The suspect was over the weekend arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), during an operation at Abeje and Onibeju Streets, off Capitol road in Agege Local Government area of the state.

The operatives, who were led to the scene of the robbery by Inspector Anthony Inege, noted that one of the victims, who managed to escape through the window, alerted them that armed men were operating in their building.

The suspect confessed to RRS investigators that, “when I arrived Lagos, I started driving a commercial bus plying Agege to Oshodi. I joined the robbery gang when the bus suddenly developed faults and the owner had to sell the vehicle. I met the gang members at a beer parlour in Akerele Wahabi area of Agege. I told them I was a bus driver and they promised to buy a new bus for me.

“We went for robbery at midnight and met at Markaz Road. We operated from one building to the other. Although, I didn’t follow them inside but I was placed on standby outside. My job was to keep all the looted items including money.”

The suspect confessed that they went to the operation with four pump action guns and Jack knives in case any security operatives intercept them. “We had planned our movements for that night and had intention to rob all the houses on the two streets, but luck ran out on us as we robbed only five buildings before the arrival of RRS operatives,” he narrated

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos confirmed the arrest of the suspect to Lagos Metro.