Five biggest arrests by Lagos Command in 2013

Suspected robbers

The year 2013 was one filled with challenges for the Lagos State Police Command. In the midst of these challenges, were some big arrests. Below are excerpts of some notable achievements.

5: General overseer held for robbery

On March 23, 2013, Policemen attached to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, arrested three members of a gang that attacked Murtala Mohammed International Airport on March 13, 2013. The gang stormed the airport, where a Bureau De-Change was robbed and two policemen killed.

Pastor Olarenwaju

The three suspects arrested were later identified as Saidi Adekunle, 30, a.k.a SP, Olarenwaju John, 37,  a.k.a pastor and Okunola Saidi. The gang had allegedly been terrorizing Lagos and Osun States. On March, 24, the suspects led detectives to their hide out in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, where other six members of the gang were arrested. Five AK47 rifles,  64 AK47 rifle magazines, 1, 920 7.62mm caliber live ammunition, four dynamites, two locally made pistols, two mask and charms concealed in an iron box, two Toyota Sienna buses were recovered.

4: Kidnappers of Okonjo Iweala’s mother nabbed

The former servant at the palace of the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, where the mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was kidnapped in April 2013, revealed how he gave kidnappers the necessary information to facilitate the kidnap of the queen, Prof. Kamene Okonjo.

The suspect, Chiejine Onochie, said the kidnappers collected N13m as ransom before the 83- Okonjo was released.

SARS men arrested eight kidnappers, jideofor Ogbue, 22, a.k.a Marvelous, Chiejine Onochie, 32, Chukwuma Okoh, 31, Michael Ojeabu, 23, Endurance Oke, 22, Ibrahim Abubakar, 18, Buhari Amajola,27 and Hassan Husseini, 19, in their hide out in Delta, Enugu and Edo States. The suspects were also alleged to have killed one Mrs. Regina Obi after collecting a ransom of N2 million.

3: Arrest of kidnappers of Bamigbetan

In June 24, SARS had a gun duel with some kidnappers who were based in Ghana. Many of the gang members were alleged to have been killed in the battle.

These groups of kidnappers were responsible for the kidnapping of notable personalities, among who were, the chairmen of Ejigbo Local Development Area (LCDA), Honourable Kehinde Bamigbetan on April, 15. There was also the kidnap of Mrs. Onwuamagegbu and her two kids and a justice.

The police and gang had encounter in a hideout at Edu Village, Agbara, Ogun State. About eight members of the gang were said to have died from bullet wounds, while other two were arrested in military camouflage uniforms. One Vivek Changrani, an Indian kidnapped by the hoodlums was rescued.

2: Robbery suspect who killed several policemen held

On  August, 1, Abiodun Ebenezer Ogunjobi, a.k.a Godogodo, a notorious robbery suspect, who had been on police wanted list for over 14 years, was arrested.

Investigations revealed that Ogunjobi had led many robbery gang and had attacked several banks in Kwara, Osun, Ekiti and Oyo States.

In many of his robbery exploits, he and his gang had killed several civilians and policemen. He led the gang that invaded Channel 04 Hotel at Berger Palaver Yard, Ajah on  July, 7, where the owner of the hotel and six staff were killed.

He also led a robbery on July, 7, where two policemen were killed at Ajao Estate and Adeniji Adele respectively.

1: Church robbers arrested

On December, 31, armed robbers stormed the Christ Authourity and Power Evangelical Ministry(CAPEM), Vespa, Ijaniki, Lagos-Badagry Expressway during the crossover night worship service and robbed the members of their Ipads, Ipods, phones, Jewelry, money and church offerings.

The bandits struck when the worshippers were exchanging pleasantries for the New Year. The same gang also robbed at Morontola Street, Vespa Ijaniki on January, 1, 2014, where the occupants exhibited bravery and engaged them in a fight. As a result, one of their operational weapons fell on the ground. The robbers escaped, abandoning the gun.

The following  day, Hassan Ado, a gang member foolishly went back to the street, to ask some street urchins if they had seen any gun, explaining that his own fell the night before during operation.

The community was immediately alerted about it and he was apprehended. He was later transferred to SARS. He was used as bait to catch five gang members, including the ring leader, one Adewale Osoja who had just returned from prisons.

The gang arm supplier, identified as Abbey Edward, a Beninese was also arrested. Edward had supplied the gang five double barrels, locally made pistols, which he imported from his country. He sold same for the sum of N7,000.00 a piece to Abiodun Olarewaju, who in turn sold same for the sum of N20,000, each to the robbers.