A Yoruba adage says pounded yam prepared 20 years ago can still remain hot enough to burn the fingers.
So it has been for 38-year-old traffic warden, Haruna Yusuf, who was arrested by operatives of Intelligence Response Respose Team, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge, Tunji Disu for stealing a gun from Inspector Ehigimetor Ileso, a Station Officer at Omu Aran Division in Kwara State Police Command.
Not only did that act of betrayal cost the Inspector dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force, he became depressed, developed high blood pressure and eventually died after suffering a stroke.
His blood however came hounding his betrayer, Yusuf as he was picked up after the confession of a cultist who was found with the pistol by IRT operatives three years after the deed was done.
Also arrested with Yusuf, according to the Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Wale Olokode, within whose command the IRT operatives who made the arrests were based, were Tajudeen Olamilekan a.k.a Rector (23), Eze Chukwudi (33), Alebo Elijah (26), Alebo Israel (32), Abimbola Olanipekun (42) and Olarinre Abiodun (39).
Recovered from them were a police English Beretta pistol, two locally-fabricated pistols, a locally-made revolver pistol, a cut-to-size gun, 11 live cartridges, five knives, three axes and a cutlass.
One of the suspects, Olamilekan, was reportedly traced by the operatives when they learnt of his being a cultist who possessed a gun. Though he was said to have initially fled Ilorin, Kwara State to Ede in Osun State, he was eventually apprehended, and his confession led to Chukwudi’s arrest in Omu Aran, as he was named as the source of the Beretta pistol and two live ammunition found with Olamilekan.
Olamilekan also allegedly told the police operatives that he got linked with Chukwudi by one Olarinre Abiodun a.k.a. Yeukeu. When Chukwudi was also nabbed, he disclosed that he was keeping the arms with two brothers, Elijah and Israel Alebo.
Startling was the revelation of Chukwudi during interrogation, when he disclosed that he got the pistol from a traffic warden. This led to Yusuf’s arrest and discovery of his being the root cause of the missing gun of the late Inspector.
Nigerian Tribune had an interview with the traffic warden and two of the other suspects who purchased weapons directly and indirectly from him. Excerpts:
Haruna Yusuf
“I’m 38 years old from Idomah tribe in Benue State. I became a traffic warden on June 1, 2008. I’m Traffic Warden 1, equivalent of a sergeant. I was in Omu Aran Division in Kwara State Police Command when I found a pistol on the ground outside the mosque behind our police station. Instead of asking for the Officer it was assigned to, I didn’t know what came over me. I went away with the pistol and sold it after keeping it for some time.
“I sold it to one Eze Chukwudi for N47,000. The inspector, who was the Station Officer who lost the gun, was later dismissed and eventually died because of high blood pressure, resulting in stroke.”
How I got locally-fabricated gun
“I was at a burial ceremony in Benue State, my home state, when someone expressed intention to sell the gun. Then I thought of what herdsmen were doing and decided to buy the gun. I bought it for N25,000 and later sold it for N30,000.
I didn’t know why the devil came over me to do such a thing. I was arrested while I was on special duty.”
Eze Chukwudi
“I’m from Enugu State but was born in Yorubaland. I’m married and a businessman selling phone accessories and computer hardware. I also work as a Disc Jockey (DJ).”
My involvement
“I knew the traffic warden around where I have my business. I asked him how I could get a gun and he said he would let me know. He asked whether I had money and I answered in the affirmative. Later, he asked me to follow him to his house. He showed me the Beretta pistol. It was as if he needed money badly, but then I didn’t have any cash. I told him I would get back to him. After some weeks, he called me again and asked whether I still needed the pistol, saying that he would sell it to another person. So I had to buy it.
My membership of Neo Black Movement of Africa (Aye Confraternity)
“This was the reason I got the weapon. I’m a cultist. I joined Aye Confraternity in 2016 in Minna, Niger State. I was at a convocation ceremony as a DJ. When I rounded off my work, some guys came to off that we should discuss. After that, they took me somewhere and tortured me, initiating me into the cult group.
“Three years after, I got close to some men in Omu Aran. I’m number three in the cult group. During that time, there was always misunderstanding between Aye and Eye Confraternities. I just got the pistol for selfdefence. Even when I got it, I just kept it.
I bought it for N60,000. The traffic warden did not tell me that the pistol belonged to the police. He just told me he got it from his state and wanted to sell it because he needed money. My wife never knew I was in a cult. We did the transaction on the pistol in 2019.”
Tajudeen Olamilekan
“I’m an HND graduate of Kwara Polytechnic, Ilorin, but an indigene of Sagamu, Ogun State.
“I was arrested when the traffic warden confessed that I bought a pistol from him. Actually, members of Aye Confraternity which I belong to contributed money to purchase a gun. I joined the cult group when I was still an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) student in the same polytechnic. I was in Number Four position but was promoted to Number Three, which is the position for the armourer.
“We needed a pistol and I called Chukwudi. He brought out the Beretta pistol and sold it to me at N150,000 for our cult group in June 2021.
“Automatically, as Number Three, I was the one keeping the pistol. We just bought it because of rivalry among Aye, Eye and Alora cult members.”
Weeping, Olamilekan said: “I’ve on ruined my own life. I’m supposed to be on youth service (NYSC) now.”
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