Gospel singer arrested for robbery

A Gospel singer, who identified himself as Akazue Nwakonuche, 26, alias Akachkwu, has been arrested for being part of a robbery gang that used to snatch tricycles and motorbikes from their owners.

Aside from Nwakonuche, other members of the gang, now in the custody of the Special-Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command, are Okeke Christian, 29, and Paul Igwe, 20. Igwe is alleged to be the leader of the gang. 

The fourth member of the gang, Monday Nwankpa is still at large. 

A police source said: “The issue of tricycle snatching came as a surprise to us because most robbers go for cars. To remove tricycles from park without being caught is not easy. When information came to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, that a gang of robbers were snatching tricycles, he reacted immediately. The operation was led by officer in charge of SARS, Abba Kyari. The first two suspects were arrested at Ikotun. They were Okeke and Igwe.”

Nwakonuche, who said he sings both hip-hop and gospel, said: “I was the first person to be arrested because I was not able to escape with my colleagues. I’m a musician. I sing hip pop and gospel music. I want to wax one of my songs called, ‘How I suffered’ before I realised that the world is a school and every experience a teacher. I could not complete senior secondary three (SS3) because of my financial problem. I’m the first son of my parent’s eight children.

“I later went to do house-boy for my uncle, Mr. Nonso Nwankwo in Onitsha Head Bridge Market, where he trades on building materials. I worked there for five years. When he could not help me by the year 2010, I went to Lagos to live with another uncle called Anayo who sells clothes in Ikotun. I have two brothers in Lagos. One travelled to India and left his shop to me. It was my friend, Paul who got me into robbery. Paul told me about snatching tricycles. The next day he came with Nwankpa and asked me to join them. I joined.

“The next day being Thursday, they called me to follow them to do the job which put me in this trouble. Paul gave me a toy gun and was holding cutlass, while Okeke was not holding anything. We went to Ikotun Roundabout and chartered a tricycle for N300 to take us to Austino hotel. As we were approaching the hotel, Paul gave me a sign to bring out my gun. I pointed the toy gun to the head of the rider. But when he realised that it was a toy gun, he refused to comply. He jacked up his tricycle, fought me and ran to alert people, shouting thieves! Thieves!

“As I tried to escape, I fell down and they arrested me and handed me over to Ikotun Police while others escaped. They later transferred me to SARS and used me to arrest Okeke and later Paul, while Nwankpa is still at large.”