N500,
000 necklace, got me into trouble-Suspect
Detectives attached to the Inspector-General of
Police Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT, have smashed a gang that
specialised in robbing commercial buses and relaxation centres.
The gang was also fingered in the murder of a police
inspector in Lagos State.
The gang leader, Emmanuel Nwaeze, 26, from Rivers
State, was arrested after he robbed a victim of seven phones and a necklace. He
sold the necklace for N500, 000. This would be the second time Nwaeze would be
arrested for robbery.
He had already sold the phones and was almost
through with the N500, 000 when police tracked him down to a hairstylist shop
and demanded he produced the necklace. He noted that he almost died of shock.
He was arrested for the second during a robbery
operation at Surulere area of Lagos.
He said: “The robbery that got me into trouble was
at Surulere. We robbed a bar. I collected a gold necklace and seven phones from
a victim. I gave the phones to one Oyibo, who lives at Ajangbadi area to sell
for me. Oyibo is the person that used to sell all the phones I stole from
people. I sold the necklace for N500, 000. I didn't know that the owner of the necklace
would come after me. I was surprised when policemen came to a saloon where I
was cutting my hair and arrested me.”
Nwaeze, who allegedly used to operate mainly on
motorbike, met his Waterloo when the IRT operatives got a tip off about his
activities and trailed him to his hideout in Ajegunle area of Lagos State.
During interrogation, Nwaeze mentioned the names of
his fleeing members. Police are said to be already on their trails.
A police source said: “The suspect and two other
members of his gang, specialised in attacking motorists on motion, using motorbikes
and a brownie pistol. They have killed most of their victims, including a serving
policeman. The gang used to injure and sometimes kill victims while attempting
to dispossess them of their valuables.”
The police source further said: “The gang usually
attacks patrons of popular bars and relaxation centers, where they dispossessed
victims of cash, mobile phones, jewelry and other valuables at gunpoint.”
In one of their numerous operations, the gang was alleged
to have shot a serving Inspector of Police in Surulere area of Lagos State.
Nwaeze said: “I went into robbery in 2013. It was a friend of mine that connected me to
armed robbers. He’s the owner of the motorbikes and guns that we use for
operations. We used to attack commercial buses very early in the morning. We
target passengers heading to office and traders.”
Revealing the gang’s modus operandi, Nwaeze said
that the gang used to block commercial buses along highways, threatening them
with guns. They would then proceed to rob the passengers.
He recounted: “We would gather the passengers in a
single file; order to submit their valuables. We also used to attack relaxation
joints; we also used to rob people drinking or eating there.”
Nwaeze and his gang had been leaving a trail of
tears and sorrow as they rob people until 2014. He was arrested, while his gang
members escaped. He was charged to court.
His words: “I was remanded in prison. I spent two
years awaiting trial before I was discharged and acquitted from court. After my
release, I relocated to my village. But in September, I went to Ajegunle to
visit my siblings. It was there I saw one of my gang members, Al-boy. He asked
me what I was doing, I said nothing. He asked me to join him for a robbery
operation. I couldn't resist because I was broke; I had no money with me. We robbed
a commercial bus in Satellite Town. I collected phones from my victims. I don't
know the number of phones other members collected.”
Since he returned from prison and joined his friend
and gang in robbery, Nwaeze hadn’t looked back. But again, nemesis caught up
with him.
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