How security guard set up thieves

Simeon

Juliana Francis

Twenty-nine-year-old, Olarenwanju Simeon is among the nine suspects held for attempting to rob May & Baker, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria. Incidentally, Simeon was a former security guard in the company.

Speaking with Daily Newswatch, Simeon said he and his partners in crime, would have gotten away with storming May&Baker and carting away cartons of the exorbitant chemicals, if not for the traitor in their midst.

According to him, the plan was a well orchestrated one, but the only spook in the wheel of the well moving plan, was one Richard. He explained that while Richard, a security guard attached to the pharmaceutical company had sat down and planned the robbery with them, even bringing glowing suggestions, they didn’t know he was busy giving police information about the operation.

During one of their numerous meetings, it was agreed that some packet of juice would be bought and lanced with sleeping substance and given to security guards guiding the company. Once the guards were asleep, that was when the gang was supposed to strike.

Ironically, Richard accepted the job of lancing the juice with sleeping substance. On the day the gang attacked, all the guards pretended like they sleeping. Simeon with his gang, had had to cut off several padlocks before they reached the warehouse where the chemicals were kept. They were already loading the chemicals into their two trucks, when police started shooting sporadically outside. The party abruptly came to an end.

The packets of juice

With a grimace of his lip, Simeon said: “It was only because of Richard’s betrayal that police arrested us. Richard set us up.”

Recounting how the police foiled the robbery, police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide said: “On August, 24, 2013, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), received information that robbers were planning to attack May and Baker, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria. Immediately they got the information, the detectives embarked on surveillance.

“On the day the robbers came to attack the company, our men were there by 6pm and waited until 12pm, when the robbers came to strike and they were caught right in the act.  The robbers had already connived with some of the security guards to lance juice with sleeping pills and give to other security guards. But they were arrested just as they were about to strike. The robbers came with two empty trucks with which to use to cart away the chemicals.”

Braide further said that the same company was burgled last year. She added that the gang came with two AK47 rifles and had wanted to make away with 84 cartons of the chemicals.

Recovered from the gang were padlocks to the warehouses, which they had already cut, knife, caps and some packet of juice, which were supposed to be laced with sleeping substance.

Simeon, who neither  denied his involvement in the crime nor the allegation that his gang last year stormed the company, however heatedly denied ever being in possession of guns.

His words: “We didn’t come with any gun. Maybe the other two gangs that met us there, but not me or those that came with me had guns. Why should I need guns when the only people that would stop me from entering the company are the security guards who were already working with us?”

Simeon claimed that a man, named James, sold the idea of going back to May&Baker to steal chemical, after last year’s successful operation at the company, to him.

According to him, James said he had spoken with some guards at the company and they appeared willing and ready to play ball. He said that James told him to look for a buyer.

He said that James linked him up with Richard, who ever since, had been planning the operation with him.

But before the Richard accepted to join in the operation, he had demanded for N1million.

Simeon said: “I told Richard that I didn’t have that sort of money. He then asked me the day the operation would take place, I told him to hold on. I told him that we should discuss with other of his colleagues first. He said he would buy the sleeping tablet which would be used to lace the juice, which those security guards, not working with us, would drink. I gave him N15, 000 to buy the necessary things. But this Richard kept calling me for all sorts of reasons.

“At a point, I said I was no longer interested in going on with the operation. But Richard called me that I should start coming that other members had gathered. Since I couldn’t pay him N1million, he asked for N50, 000, which I accepted to pay him. On the operation day, before he opened gate for me to enter the company, he demanded for the N50, 000, which I gave to him.

“We were already loading cartons of chemicals into our trucks, when two more gangs barged in on us. There was quarrel and arguments. I told them that there was no need to quarrel and waste time. We were all there for the same purpose. We agreed to share the money. It was even Richard who said he told the other gangs to come and cart away the chemicals because he thought I wouldn’t pay him the N2millon we had agreed to give him after the operation. We were still arguing when we started hearing gun shots outside. We all surrendered.”

He added further that in the last year’s operation, he and five others had stormed the company, carting away 53 cartons, which they told to Ehirim Ejike, 62. In that operation, Simeon took  N1million as his share of the loot.

One of the arrested security men, Alli Salif denied been involved in the attack on the company but his colleague Nekela Abubakar countered his claim, insisting that he (Salif) was neck deep in the foiled operation.
Ejike, on the other hand, denied being aware that the goods were stolen, claiming that Olanrewaju introduced himself as a member of staff of the company. Ejike , who operates a pharmaceutical store in Pero area of Agege, added that Olanrewaju had lied to him that the products were given to him by the company.
The arrested suspects are: Alli Salif , Mekela Abubakar , Ehirim Ejike , Olanrewaju Simeon , James Inuoha , Stephen Kadiri , James Temer , Samson Oladipupo and Innocent Okoghu