‘I’ve bought more than 48 cars from armed robbers’

Mr. Adedokun Adewunsi, 39,  is a car dealer, believed to be from a good family and has a good reputation. He resides at the Abule-Egba area of Lagos State, where he is quite popular. But nobody however knows that the rich man is a chameleon who dines with suspected robbers at night, but becomes like any other businessman at day time.

He was among four suspected robbers recently arrested by the police. Adewunsi was arrested along with Henry Adebayo, 30, Chigozie Orji, 35 and Adigun Kareem, 35.

Police say that most of the cars showcased in his shop were stolen ones.

The suspect denies being an armed robber, stressing that he only used to buy stolen cars from a gang of robbers.

His words: “I’m not a robber! Yes, I used to buy stolen cars from robbers, but I’ve never gone to rob with them. Yes, I know they’re armed robbers. I’ve bought more than 48 cars from them. I prefer Honda and Toyota cars. I may buy a car for N500, 000, N600, 000 or N700, 000 and sell for N1 million or N2million.”

It was gathered that aside from selling stolen cars to people in Nigeria, the gang also sells to people from outside the country.

The suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command. The Officer in charge of SARS, Mr. Abba Kyarri, a Superintendent of Police (SP), led the police team that arrested the gang.

A police source said: “The suspects have carried out series of robbery operations, including car snatchings. They were once sentenced to prison. After they were released, they went back to robbery. Investigations revealed that the gang met and regrouped in prison.”

Adewusin, a father of four, said he is just a receiver of the snatched vehicles. He explained that he used to buy cars from Republic of Benin until he formed the unholy alliance with the gang.

Recalling how he started buying stolen cars from them, Adewunsi said: “There was a time I went to Cotonou to buy cars and officers of the Nigerian Customs seized all the cars. It affected my business. I became bankrupt. I later started buying cars from armed robbers and sell. Most of my customers reside at Abule Egba.”

Another member of the gang, Adebayo confessed that he and some of his friends used to break into people’s home to steal phones and laptops, until luck ran out on them.

They were arrested, charged to court and sentenced to prison.

According to him, after he was released from prison, he did not know where to go, but remembered a friend he met in prison, who was freed before him.

He said: “I called a friend. His name is Monday Ogukwu. We met him in prison. I told him that I would like to stay with him. I got a call from him one day that we should go and rob.”

Adebayo said that when he was called for the operation, he had no choice than to join because, “I didn’t have any job.”

He continued his narration: “We stole two laptops and two phones that day. The next day, we did the same. We sold the laptops to a guy. After making some money, I told Ogukwu I would be going to stay with my family.”

He recalled that after two months, Ogukwu called him for another robbery operation, but he turned it down. “I told him that I had stopped that sort of life.”

Adebayo thought he had walked away from his old life for good, but nemesis caught up with him when he least expected it.

The victim whose home was attacked by Adebayo and Ogukwu reported the robbery to SARS and investigation commenced. The buyer was soon traced. Detectives used the buyer as bait to catch Adebayo. Apparently sensing trouble, Ogukwu disappeared into thin air. Police are still hunting for him.

Orji, a trader at Lagos Island was described by the police as the leader of the gang.

A very candid Orji said that he had been arrested twice by SARS.  “The first time I was caught with a gun. I’d used the gun for robbing. I was charged to Ikeja Court,” said Orji.

He was sentenced to prison, but after a year, he was granted bail. “My mother paid N250, 000. The second time is this present problem.  I started snatching vehicles again. Our operational car is a Highlander Jeep. Adebayo is part of the gang. I met Sunday through Adebayo.”

Remembering how they snatched the Jeep, Orji said: “The owner of the Highlander Jeep was drunk. Sunday opened the car door and simply pushed him out.  Adebyo and Sunday sold car, but didn’t give me a dime! I tried calling, but they changed their phone numbers. I stopped using guns after I was arrested. I met Ogukwu in the prison, but I contacted him after I was released.

“I went back to robbery because there was no money to start a business. I’m praying now that God should set me free. If He does, I’ll never go back to robbery the third time!”

Kareem, a phone engineer, is the fourth suspect, but just like Adewunsi, he said he was only guilty of buying stolen phones and laptops from Orji. He claimed he didn’t know the items were stolen.

Police however believed he is being economical with the truth because Kareem had once been arrested in 2012 for also buying stolen phones. He spent two days in prison for that.