The suspect, Isaac Ogbonna, 22, said it is a bad move for anyone to go out at night to check the reason for his or her generator suddenly going off. According to him, that was always the perfect opportunity for armed robbers to grab a victim, get into his home and rob the family. He stressed that most generators that go off at night, were most often switched off by armed robbers waiting outside.
He said the gimmick was one of the best ways of getting entry into homes in order to rob. He further said: “During our operations, we always look out for houses where generators are running. We usually scale the fence of the buildings in order to gain entry. Once we are inside, we switch off the generators.
The idea is to get the owner of the house to open the door and step outside. Once the person steps out, we attack and swing into action.” Ogbonna and his four friends were held for robbery by operatives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikorodu Police Station and later transferred to SARS, Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command. Aside from Ogbonna, others are Shola Dede 22, Hakeem Lawal, Sadiq Lawal and Hakeem Ayotunde. They were arrested on August 25, 2016.
Three stolen laptops and a Toyota Corolla car were recovered from them Like most suspected criminals, the suspects blamed tough economic situation in Nigeria for their crime. Ogbonna, an indigene of Ebonyi State, said he came to Lagos in late June this year. He used to hawk different wares in Enugu State, as a source of livelihood before he relocated to Lagos.
When he came to Lagos, he resided at Ogolonto, Ikorodu, Lagos State, where he ran into an old friend called Shola Dede. Dede would later take him to Ayotunde, who initiated him into robbery. Recalling how he embraced the world of crime, Ogbonna said he took to armed robbery because of his love for his aunt.
He said that it all started after he received an alarming phone call, telling him that his aunt was between life and death. He said he was in Enugu State back then, when he got the call. He rushed down to Lagos, determined to do everything within his power to save the woman’s life.
He said: “My aunt told me that her health condition was deteriorating, that she needed help. I boarded a bus to Lagos with just N10, 000 I had. I used part of the money to carry out series of medical tests ordered by her doctor. It was discovered she had malaria parasite and typhoid fever.
She also needed blood transfusion. She had seriously lost weight. “I met my friend, Shola Dede, who tried to find a means for us to help my aunt. I couldn’t allow my aunt to die. She is too good to me.” Ogbonna further narrated how he carried out his first robbery operation.
His words: “I was introduced to Ayotunde by Dede. It was Ayotunde that first told me about the robbery business. I asked him if he had a gun, he said no. After we agreed to rob people, we further agreed never to hurt our victims. We went to the market and purchased N2000 knives. We use the knives to threaten victims.”
Dede, a former boat operator, confirmed the narratives of Ogbonna. Dede, however, confessed that he met Ayotunde, the leader of the group in July, 2016, when he was in desperate need of money to cater for his family. He said Ayotunde was the person that usually sells the items collected from victims during robbery operations. After selling the items, Ayotunde would call and give cash to each gang member. He said he joined the gang because he wanted to ensure he got an apartment for his family.
He said he was tired of him and his family squatting with people. Dede added: “I feel very depressed about everything. I was in a desperate situation to support my family, especially my mother.
My intention was just to rent an apartment for my family because we were squatting with people. I never knew that my second robbery operation would be my last operation. I was arrested.” Remembering how the gang was smashed, Ogbonna said it happened on August 22. Ogbonna recounted: “We got to our victim’s residence at about 12 midnight.
We scaled the fence in order to get into the compound. When we got into the compound, we switched off the generator. The owner came outside; we ambushed him. We asked him to lead us into his apartment. When we got into the apartment, we asked him for money. He told us he had none. He suggested we should take his car, but we refused. He insisted; he said we could make a lot of money from the sales of the car. We finally agreed.
We took the car and three laptops. We handed all the stolen items to Ayotunde. He promised to call us after he sold them.” Another suspect, Lawal, was labeled as an accomplice in the crime by the police. He said his only offence was in buying stolen items from the suspects. He however said he never knew they were stolen ones. He said: “It was Sadiq Lawal, one of their members that Ayotunde sent to sell the items to me. Sadiq said Ayotunde’s brothers sent the laptops from overseas.
The laptops were one old Toshiba and two HP laptops. There was also one functional camera. We negotiated and I bought the laptops for N43, 000. I checked the laptops and found that the HP laptops were bad. I contacted Ayotunde, so that I could get my money back. It was after the call that police came with him to arrest me.”
Ayotunde, alleged leader of the gang, said he is from Abia State. He was a construction worker, but abandoned the profession when his salary could no longer sustain him and his family. He was in his community at Ogolonto Ikorodu one day and looking around him, he saw many friends and families suffering.
He felt he needed to do something. He said: “I left the construction company because they refused to pay full salary. This always happens and I got frustrated. I was a good Christian and had plans I wanted to execute. I got fed up and left the construction company in February. I left and started working in a car wash company.
They paid me N1000 every day. The N1000 I received daily from the carwash business wasn’t enough.” Ayotunde continued: “I looked around my street and saw good people, who love their families and wished to make their lives better.
So early this March, I got the idea of robbing people. I wanted to sustain myself and I saw my friends in need. I couldn’t watch just like that. So we started robbing. I bought kitchen knives which we always discarded after each operation. On our last operation, we entered an apartment and robbed as usual.
I received the goods and sent Lawal to sell the laptops to Lawal Hakeem. I was about to sell the car when police caught me.” Sadiq said he was sad and wished the government could pardon the gang for its crimes. He added: “My parents came yesterday to the police station to see me.
I could see the worry on their faces. I don’t know when or if I would leave here. I have heard stories of people never leaving at all. Government should pardon us! It was condition of living in Nigeria that brought us to this level.” Dede said he had repented and is now a changed person, after being in police custody.
He also wished the government would forgive and pardon them. Ogbonna wished he had never joined robbery as this has shattered his dreams of making it in life. He is worried that his aunt’s health condition would worsen as no one was with her. Police said the stolen goods have been recovered.
https://newtelegraphonline.com/generator-goes-off-night-dont-come-suspect/
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