I organised N100m bank robbery- Alaba Trader

A music instruments trader at the Alaba International Market, Lagos State, has revealed how he organised a bank robbery that netted his gang N100 million. The gang also stormed a bank in Benin Republic and carted Cefa, equivalent to N35 million.

 

The suspect, John Nnamdi, is part of an eight-man-gang of robbers. The gang has been described as an international one, having robbed in other West Africa countries.

Nnamdi was arrested after the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, received a tip-off that the gang was planning to execute another robbery.

Other members of the gang are; Samuel Igbi, Anthony Umeh, Chineye David, Uchenna Eze, Victor Anamalechi, Ifeanacho Igwe, and Desmond Obinna.

Aderanti said that the gang had once terrorised Port Novo, Benin Republic and UBA bank in Shagamu road, Ikorodu.

He said: “The gang members also confessed to several robbery operations which had taken place in big cities in Nigeria. According to them, the biggest of all their operations was the N100 million bank operation.”

Speaking with journalists, Nnamdi said that the N100 million bank robbery operation occurred in 2011, at the Alakija area of Lagos.

He said his own share from the operation was N28million. Nnamdi used to sell musical instruments at the Alaba International Market. It was while he was a trader that he conceived and planned the bank robbery.

The father of four said: “The operation in Alakija was in 2011. We made about N100m. I got a share of N28m. I was a trader at the Alaba International Market, Ojo area before I organised the gang. We have gone for about five operations.

“We went to Port Novo, Benin Republic to rob a microfinance bank. We broke into the bank through the back. We made used two guns for that operation. The security men were asleep. We woke and tied them.  One of our members opened the safe, and we began to pack money. I was given N7m and the other four also got N7m each.                                                                                     “I bought a car with my own share of the money. Yes, I bought a Toyota Corolla. We used the vehicle to further our operations. We keep our guns in a compartment under the car. We’ve escaped being caught on several occasions.”

Aderanti explained that on November 15, 2014, he received information of a trans-border gang that was putting finishing touches to a grand plan to unleash terror on Lagos residents.

He said: “It was based on this information, that I immediately directed the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), led by Mr. Abba Kyari (SP) to go after the robbers. The team tracked and located the gang’s hideout around Iba, Festac and Igando areas of the state. We succeeded in arresting two members of the gang, Samuel Igbi and Anthony Umeh.

“A search was conducted on the suspects and their hide out. The police recovered two AK47 rifles, 11 Ak47 loaded with magazines and one Toyota Sienna bus.”