Late Audu Abubakar gave us guns ―Robbery suspects confess

A gang of four armed robbers, who specialized in attacking petrol filling stations in Kwara State and its environs, have been nabbed by officers of the Kwara State police command in conjunction with the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Tuesday after parading the robbery suspects, the state commissioner of police, Aminu Pai Saleh, said that leader of the gang, one James Obaje ‘Male’ 34 years, a native of Dekina in Dekina local government area of Kogi State, had confessed to being a trainee and lieutenant of one Zakari Yau, a political thug in Kogi State.

The leader of the gang, during an interview with journalists, also said that three AK 47 rifle, one K2 rifle and one Pump Action rifle found on them, were given to him by the campaign team of the late APC governorship candidate in Kogi State, Alhaji Abubakar Audu, during electioneering.

The police boss, who said that other members of the gang include one Nelson Yakubu ‘Male’ 31 years, Ibrahim Mutari ‘Male’ 33 years and Gboyega Olaoye ‘Male’ 35 years, added that all the suspects are from Kogi State, but resident in Ilorin except Gbenga Olaoye who is from Ekiti local government area of Kwara State.

“Sequel to reports received from some fueling stations within Ilorin metro and its suburbs of armed robbery attacks, the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) who were detailed to Offa in the wake of Offa armed robbery attack in conjunction with F-Sars Kwara command, acting on very actionable intelligence, arrested one James Obaje ‘M’ 34yrs a native of Dekina in Dekina local government area of Kogi State, during interrogation, he confessed to being the leader of a gang of armed robbers and also a trainee and lieutenant of one Zakari Yau, a political thug in Kogi State, already arrested by IGP Response team in an earlier operation. His confession led to the arrest of the following members of his gang that attacked several fuelling stations in Kaduna, FCT, Kogi and Kwara State.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include three AK 47 rifle, One K2 rifle, One Pump Action rifle, 311 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, 286 rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, One Blue Mazda 626 with Reg. KEY 627 DS (Their operational vehicle), Charms, Several Vehicle Plate numbers”, he said, adding that the suspects also confessed to the Armed Robbery attack on Orange fuelling Station, Tanke junction, Ilorin on May 15, 2018.

He also said that efforts were still ongoing to arrest remaining members of the gang, after which he said that they would be charged to court.

Also paraded were seven suspected members of the secret cult, known as Aiye Confraternity, including the vice president of the Students Union Government (SUG), among others who are said to be students of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara state.

“On May 7, 2018, the Command in a Press Release, alerted members of the public on the plans by various cult groups to mark the cultism day on 7/7/2018, while warning any person or group of persons from any such act, but as devil’s advocates which they are, the following cultists from Federal Polytechnic Offa blatantly refused to heed the warning, and were rounded up by the Anti-Cult Unit of the SCIID, Ilorin in the process of initiating new members to Aiye confraternity in preparation for an attack.

1. Temitope Nathaniel Omotosho ‘m’ Students
2. Adewusi Vincent ‘m’ of Offa Poly
3. Tajudeen Selim ‘m’ – (Vice President S U G Offa poly)
4. Ayomide Ololade ‘m’
5. Olanipekun Abimbola ‘m’ – Ex-student of Kwara poly

Newly initiated members arrested;
1. Akinsebikan George ‘m’
2. Gbolahan Ogunleye ‘m’

Exhibits recovered from them;
1. Red and White Regalia of Aiye secret CULT
2. Razor Blade
3. Calabash used for initiation
4. One live cartridge

Suspects will be charged to court

3. CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, BEING IN POSSESSION OF HARD DRUG, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARMS AND BEING A MEMBER OF CULT

SUSPECTS: 1. OSUOLALE GABRIEL ‘M’

2. WASIU MUSA GAMBARI ‘M’

3. SULEIMAN OBALOSUN ‘M’

4. ABDULLAHI OLOWO ‘M’

EXHIBITS: 1. A SACK CONTAINING DRIED WEEDS SUSPECTED TO BE CANNABIS

2. TWO CUT-TO-SIZE GUNS

3. ONE CARTRIDGE

4. ONE AXE

5. ONE CUTLASS

6. ONE SAW BLADE

7. THREE KNIVES

8. PHOTOGRAPHS

On 5/7/2018 at about 1100 hrs acting on intelligence, one Osuolale Gabriel ‘m’ of Mubo Street behind railway Maraba, Ilorin, a notorious criminal mustered miscreants brandishing firearm freely. On the strength of this, a team of operatives from F-SARS immediately visited the scene and the prime suspect named above was arrested with a sack full of WEEDS SUSPECTED strongly to be India hemp, In furtherance of the investigation, at about 0300hrs, one Wasiu Musa Gambari ‘m’, Saka Musa ‘m’, 2.Suleiman Obalowu ‘m’, 3. Abdullahi Olowo and 4.Gbenga Fagbemi ‘m’ were arrested in their hideout somewhere in Gambari area Ilorin with the above named incriminating and other dangerous weapons waiting to strike. Meanwhile, an effort is ongoing to extend our tentacles to unmask other members of the gang.

4. ARMED ROBBERY AND BEING IN POSSESSION OF FIREARMS

SUSPECTS: 1. MUSBAU AKOILE ‘M’

2. MUSTAPHA AZEEZ ‘M’

3. YUSUF ABDULLAHI ‘M

EXHIBITS: 1. THREE CUT-TO-SIZE BARREL GUNS

2. ONE LIVE CARTRIDGE

3. ONE EXPENDED CARTRIDGE

4. ONE BAJAJ MOTORCYCLE

5. ONE THERMOCOOL GENERATOR

6. ONE AXE

On 20/6/2018 at about 0330hrs one Musbau Akosile a.k.a Para who disguised as a carpenter was arrested based on intelligence, to be a member of the armed robbery gang, immediately operatives swung into action, he was arrested and searched on the spot, a locally made cut-to-size barrel gun with one live cartridge was recovered in the workshop where hidden. He confessed that he purchased the locally made pistol from one Azeez Mustapha ‘m’ and one Yusuf Abdullahi ‘m’ who also confessed to having sold the locally made pistol to Musbau Akosile a.k.a Para ‘m’, they were accordingly tracked and arrested, in the course of further investigation, two other locally made cut-to-size barrel guns, one expended cartridge and weeds suspected to be cannabis was also found with them.

Meanwhile, the investigation is ongoing to recover more arms already in the hands of fleeing members of the gang.

Suspects will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is completed.