Seven suspects arrested by the police in Lagos in connection with car snatching and ‘one-chance’ robbery operations have confessed their individual involvement in the alleged criminal activities.
The suspects are 45-year-old Emmanuel Ogaba aka Tablet, Mathew Ogaba (30), Fidelis Nelson aka MP(41), Augustine Stanley,31, Abayomi Adebisi,42, Sunday Solomon,41, and Emmanuel Olusegun, aged 37.
Recovered from them were a Toyota Camry car without a registration number, one toy gun and various SIM cards.
According to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Edgal Imohimi, who paraded the suspects, said on 16th of June, 2018, information was received from a credible source indicating that some group of dare-devil armed robbers with operational base in Ogun State and specialises in snatching cars at gunpoint as well as robbing passengers in commercial buses otherwise known as one-chance and thereafter brings their loot to Lagos sale were operating.
“Armed with this intelligence, an ambush was laid for them by the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad operatives and conventional policemen from the command, leading to the arrest of the suspects.”
Confessing to the crimes when Daily Independent interviewed the suspects, Sunday Solomon, an Urhobo from Delta State and resident of Ikorodu confessed thus: “Police arrested me because I am doing the one-chance robbery.
“We normally operate at Iyana- Ipaja axis of Lagos. I joined the gang about a year ago. We operate by packing our commercial bus and one of us will be calling passengers, when we pick the passengers, along the road, we will ask them to surrender their money and phones. I have realized about N160,000 in one of the operations. I have operated with the gang not less than 20 times. I use the money for the upkeep of my three children.
For Emmanuel Olusegun, a native of Abeokuta in Ogun state and resident of Sango area of the state claimed to be an Engineer by profession, confessed to being a member of the gang, saying that involvement was as a buyer of stolen phones from one of the gang members.
“It was Ade that normally brings the phones to me. They used to rob and collect the phones from victims. Initially, I did not know that the phones they were bringing to me were stolen items. But when l later came to know, I did not do anything but continue to patronize them.
Abayomi Adebisi, 42, a native of Abeokuta, Ogun State, married with three children said: “I was arrested because of robbery. We are three in number. We pick passengers, collect their belongings and drop them off. I have realized not less than N600,000 from robbery operations. We don’t normally go every day, but I have participated up to 40 times.
It was circumstances that led me to robbery. I was duped. And I had no other alternative. I am a building contractor.
Matthew Ogaba, married with a child said, “I am from Benue State, police arrested me because a brother of mine told me there was a vehicle for sale, and that I should help look for the buyer but I never knew it was a stolen vehicle. I got people to buy and they negotiated. The day they were to come and pay and collect the car, I was arrested. I don’t accompany them to rob. My involvement is that I connect the buyer”.
Emmanuel Ogaba, from Benue who said he is a launderer by profession and a resident of Sango in Ogun State said the police arrested him because his family friend called to inform him that he had a car for sale. I have never been involved in the robbery.
