My friends lavish lifestyle made me join robbery-Barber

A robbery suspect, Jolly Abienekpen, has told operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command that he decided to join a robbery gang because he was he was enchanted by the way members spend money.

Abienekpen, a barber and father of a six-year-old girl, said that although he was making between N1000 and N1500 everyday as a barber, he could have survived on it.

According to him, he was ensnared by the lifestyles of his friends, robbers, who lived lavishly.

He said: “Peer pressure and negative influences of my friends were part of the things that made me join robbery. I was enticed because of the way my friends spend money. Yes, that was the main reason I joined them. I also wanted to raise money to establish my own barbing saloon. If I had about N30, 000, I would have been able to establish my business.”

The police said that Abienekpen was part of a gang of robbers that had been terrorising theatre goers at the Orile Iganmu area of Lagos State.

The police explained that Abienekpen and his partner, Olalekan Olumide were sighted at Iganmu, Orile, dispossessing theatre goers of their valuables at gun point. Police had chased after them. While Abienekpen was nabbed, Olumide escaped.  Olumide’s freedom was however short lived, for he was arrested a few days later.

A locally made gun was recovered from the gang. “The gun that was recovered from me during the operation was given to me by a man called Bassey. He had just been released from prison.”

A police source said:  “On sighting the officers, Abienekpen immediately threw away his gun. The gun and four live cartridges were recovered from him. He was later transferred to SARS for further investigation.”

Singing like a bird to the police, Abienekpen said that the gang had successfully robbed some theatre goers that fateful night before police appeared and spoilt their fun.

“We were actually about to rob the third person that night when police came,” he said.

He further narrated: “As a barber, I used to make between N1000 to N1500 daily. Out of that money, I would deliver between N500 to N700 to the shop owner, depending on the day’s patronage. I was not making much, but I could have continued to manage. I was introduced into robbery by my friend, Shitta.

“Shitta introduced me to Oyo and Aluma who are members of the gang. Usually four of us go for robbery operation. I met Shitta at Indian hemp joint where I usually go to smoke. I started discussing with them and they introduced me into their gang’s operations.” 

He recalled that as the newest member of the gang, part of his job description was to carry bags for the gang. Valuables snatched from victims were put inside the bag.

“After operations, they don’t give me good money. The money is enough to keep body and soul together before the next operation. Sometimes they give me between N4000 to N7000 after each operation.”

Even as a robber, he still continued with his barbing job, only leaving at night with the gang to rob at night.  But he confessed to have fully embraced robbery after his shop, where he works as barber was demolished at NPA quarter, in Victoria Island.

He said: “During the operations I used to stand outside the building, while others will go inside to carry out the operation. We make use of two guns which is held by Oyo and Aluma.”

Olumide, who just left prison last year July, said that he met Abienekpen at Iddo, Oyigbo, where both of them used to be cart pushers before they graduated to robbery.

“I’ve only participated in one robbery operation. And I only took part because I needed money to take care of some pressing issues,” said Olumide.

He said that Abienekpen convinced him to join robbery, but didn’t promise him any specific amount.

His words: “But on the night that police chased us, Abienekpen said that whatsoever we got from the operation, would be shared equally. I was sentenced and locked up in Maximum Prison, Kiri-Kiri for vandalism of government’s property. I stole some copper wire from Apongbon and sold it for N70, 000. I used the money to rent a house.”

Police spokesman, Kenneth Nwosu, confirming the arrest of the suspects, said they were apprehended by policemen attached to Iponri Police Station who were patrol duty along the National Theatre axis.