This was the confessional statement of the 32-year-old man who claimed to be a Mass Communication graduate from Olabisi Onabanjo University during the parade of criminal suspects at the Ogun State Police Command on Wednesday.
During the parade of the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Okoye Ikemefuna had told journalists that Benjamin was arrested on November 24 at about 1.40p.m. following an information received by the state anti-robbery squad attached to Area Command, Ijebu Ode, that a robbery suspect was sighted along Bonojo road, Ijebu Ode.
Mr Ikemefuna stated that Benjamin was arrested with one Toyota Avensis with registration number Edo BEN 695 AG, adding that three more vehicles were recovered after the suspect confessed to series of robbery operations he had carried out with his gang members. Other items he listed as recovered from the suspects include two locally-made cut-to-size pistols, one live catridge, five revolver ammunition and some electrical home appliances.
Admitting what he was accused of, Benjamin said his action was as a result of not gaining employment after graduation.
“I am from Ondo town in Ondo local Government area of Ondo State. I am graduate of Mass Communication from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye. I finished in 2008 and had been looking for but there was no job. I started doing yahoo but when I was no longer getting much money from that, I started robbery through a friend, Sam, who has now left the country for South Africa.
“I started car snatching this year. My friend gave me two locally-made guns when he was leaving. He explained how I would go about the operation. I met one of my gang members, Joshua Ejiofor, at a joint where we used to drink. One of my friends called China introduced him to me. He told me that government demolished his shop. I live in Lagos but I always come to Ijebu.
“We are a three-member gang. Between October and November,we were able to snatch four cars. They are two Toyota Camry cars, one Toyota Avensis and one Nissan Primera.
Unfortunately for us, we could not get a buyer. That was what put us in this problem and the police have already taken custody of the cars. We snatched two of the cars at Itele junction, one at Ijebu Ode and one at Sagamu all in Ogun State,” he narrated.
On how he was arrested, Benjamin said it was one of his friends who was also a yahoo guy who gave him away to the police. According to Benjamin, “my friend was asking about how I got four cars without having a job. He kept pestering me but I told him to hold on. I didn’t know he was with the police when he was asking me questions. I was in one of the cars when policemen came to arrest me. My confession led to the arrest of the other two members.
Speaking on how he felt after his arrest, Benjamin said: “I feel very bad now. I have passed through a lot since I have been in detention.”
Ejiofor, 42, who also spoke with Crime Reports, said he was a successful businessman before challenges made him join a robbery gang. “I brought in goods but because Yoruba films were among, they said they were pirated works and all the goods in my shop were siezed. I borrowed from bank and I had sold my cars and other property to pay back. I was thinking on how to pay the remaining debt when China introduced me to Benjamin so that he could help me with some money to start my business.
“My role was to drive the car we use for operation. We used my car for the first operation but when the engine knocked, we started using the first car we snatched.”
The third suspect, Chukwuado Michael, said his involvement with the gang was triggered by the anger he felt when his motorcycle was impounded by Lagos State government. “I was an okada rider in Lagos State but my okada was siezed so I moved to Ijebu Ode. I became angry. That was what made to join the gang. Ejiofor and I were caught when we had a fight with a guy and we were taken to a police station, unknown to us that Benjamin had been arrested and had already mentioned our names,” Michael explained.
Tribune
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