‘LASTMA’s N120, 000 bribe demand, led me to robbery’

Suspect: Robbers attacked, forced me into robbery

 A suspected armed robber, Mr. Lekan Onowale, has told operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos State, that N120, 000 bribe demanded by officials of Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), forced him into robbery.

Onowale, 23, who is married with a child, said that life became tough for him after his parents died. He didn’t have anyone to take care of him. He became a conductor and later graduated to a bus driver.

He was already adjusting to life, with his new wife and kid, when officials of LASTMA impounded his bus.

According to him, the officials allegedly demanded for N120, 000, before they would release his bus.

 He further said: “I knew there was no way I could get N120, 000. I decided to join armed robbery. I have gone on two operations with the gang before my arrest. In the first operation, we stole a Toyota Camry car. In the second, we stole Toyota Muscle car. Police came to our house to arrest us. I tried to run, but I was unlucky. We were surrounded by policemen. I had no choice than to surrender.”

Other suspects arrested alongside Onowale are; Bayo Aremu, 21, Ayo Adeboyejo, 19, Damilola Samuel, 20, Lekan Onawale, 23, Lukman Saheed, 22 and Yusuf Lawal, 25.

A police source said: “The gang specialised in robbing and terrorising Ajagbadi, Mushin and Surulere areas of the metropolis. Some of them were tracked down by police after two stolen cars, which were sold to Lawal Ali, 40, by Muhammed Lawal, 30, were recovered from them. They confessed to have been robbing together as a gang since six months. They also confessed to have carried out three successful operations before their arrest. The gang was smashed after two of them, Lekan Onawale and Saheed Lukman, were arrested on their way to deliver a stolen car.”

One of the receivers, Muhammed, said: “I didn’t know the cars were stolen ones. I thought they were smuggled from Cotonou to Nigeria. I used to buy from them, to sell. I have bought only two cars from the gang. I was introduced to the gang by Yusuf Lawal. He told me they were car dealers. I sold the two cars to Lawal Ali.”

Yusuf said his role in the gang was to get buyers for the stolen cars. According to Yusuf, once he gets a buyer, he would take the person to the gang leader, Samuel. He also said that he was in charge of selling phones and other valuables found inside any of the stolen cars.

Samuel said his wife is currently pregnant. He confessed to have joined robbery after he was robbed and threatened.

He said: “I was a commercial driver at Ibadan Park; I was on my way to Ado Ekiti when I was robbed at Ilesha Expressway. The robbers robbed my passengers and I. One of the gang members asked me to drive them to their destination, which was along Ilesha Expressway. I obeyed out of fear. We arrived at the destination, where the operation was done. I took them back to Lagos. When we got to Ojota, they threw N50, 000 and two phones at me.

“They threatened me; that no matter where I hide, they would find and kill me if I tried to play pranks on them. One day, I was called by one of them. He said there would be an operation. He said they wanted me to drive them to the venue. I did. They entered a street at Ojuelegba and collected a car from someone. After the operation, I was given money. The gang bought a gun for me. It was one of the members, who were arrested, that gave the police my phone number. I was tracked and arrested.”

Recalling his own side of the story, Aremu said: “I just joined the gang. This is my first operation with them. We went to rob at Ajagbadi area at night. We collected a Toyota Camry car at gun point.”

John said he is from a polygamous family. He left home to start fending for himself when he realised his mother couldn’t afford to take good care of him. He described him polygamous home as complicated.

He said: “I have gone on three operations with the gang. I went with a gun for the third operation. I decided to go with my gun, not knowing that I would be caught. The reason I joined robbery was because I needed food to survive.”