A 33-year-old mother of three, Mrs
Nneka Duru has revealed how her husband, Okechukwu Duru, became a guest at
Ijebu-Ode Prison, located in Ogun State.
The woman, who cried throughout her
interaction with our reporter, said that since Duru’s arrest and incarceration,
life has become too tough.
She disclosed that her children were
sent out of school for not paying school fees, while their landlord kicked them
out of their apartment because they could no longer pay their rent.
Nneka said that she and her children
were forced to move to their church, the All Saints Anglican Church, and had been living
there till date, while waiting for her husband to be released. Furthermore, her
mother-in-law and sister-in-law died, while waiting for Duru’s return.
Indeed, Duru is the first son of his
mother and everyone had always looked up to him in terms of welfare and
decision making.
Nneka said that tradition demands
that Duru has to bury his mother according to Igbo rites. Thus since his mother
died last year, her corpse has been deposited at a mortuary, waiting for Duru
to return.
Nneka said: “Before she died, she
said nobody should bury her except Duru. We have all being waiting for him to
be granted bail.”
Nneka said that her husband was
arrested for buying a stolen car. Nneka had not always been a full time housewife. However, when children started
coming, Duru asked her to quit the job and focused on caring for the children.
Duru used to sell pharmaceutical
items before he decided to go into selling of cars. He had been buying and selling
cars from overseas and those allegedly sold as auction in Nigeria for years
without any problem. Trouble started
after he bought an alleged auction car from a neighbour’s fiancé, unaware that
it was a stolen one.
Nneka said: “Since this matter
started, we have been spending money. Now, we don’t have any money. My children
are no longer going to school because I don’t have money for their fees. I’ve
been trying my best, but it’s just not enough. I’m a full time housewife. I don’t
have any source of income to take care of my children. It’s members of our
church that had been assisting us.”
Nneka further said: “My children
have been out of school over a year now. My husband has been in prison since
three years. I’m begging whosoever is responsible to ensure my husband is
released from prison. It has not been easy. It’s only God that had been
sustaining my children and I.
“I want my husband to be released,
so that he could take care of us. If not for our church, I don’t know what
would have become of us. I have tried
all I could; I have borrowed money
everywhere, hoping Duru would soon be out of prison. My husband may not have
much money, but in his lineage, nobody is a thief. My husband is not a thief no
matter what people say.”
Nneka insisted that if Duru had
known that the cars he bought were stolen ones, he wouldn’t have bought them in
the first place. She said that everyone was shocked when Duru was accused of
hobnobbing with armed robbers.
She added: “My husband is a bible
study coordinator in our church. He does not associate himself with bad people.
In fact, this case caused the death of his mother. My mother-in-law used to
call and speak with him, even while she was sick and in hospital. She
eventually died last year. Her corpse is still in the mortuary; yet to be
buried. This same case killed his elder sister.
“We managed to bury his sister
because she was a widow. We could have borrowed money to burial her, but before
she died, she warned us not to bury her. She said we should not bury her until Duru
returns back from prison. I’m pained by everything; it was my mother-in-law and
sister-in-law that used to console me, telling me that I shouldn’t worry that
my husband would soon be out of prison. They have both died and still my
husband is in prison. The sister was in her forties, while the mother was in
her sixties.”
Speaking with our reporter from
prison, Duru stated that he was into buying and selling pharmaceutical items
before he diversified into buying and selling of cars.
His words: “I have been doing my
business for long and never had any trouble. One day, a guy came to our compound at
Ketu area of Lagos to visit one of our female neighbours. They were engaged to
be married. The lady introduced the guy
to be as her fiancé The guy’s name is Tochukwu. During chitchat, he told me
that he used to get auction cars from Apapa wharf, where he works. He has
brought only two cars to me. One was alright, the second had engine problem.
The one that had engine problem was Toyota Camry. The one with bad engine I
bought for N170, 000 from him, while the good one was N600, 000. They were both
Toyota Camry cars. Six months after the business, I was at home when operatives
of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) came to arrest me.”
The
SARS men, who came from Magbon, Abeokuta, Ogun State, came with Tochukwu.
Tochukwu was in handcuffs. The policemen told Duru that Tochukwu was a car
snatch, who used to collect victims’ cars at gunpoint.
Duru
stated: “They didn’t arrest me for robbery. They said I bought stolen cars from
Tochukwu. After they arrested me, the SARS men carted away six of my cars. Most
of those cars were from America and Germany. The cars are Toyota Corolla,
Pathfinder, another Toyota Corolla, Sport, Toyota Camry, and a Honda car. The
policemen also carted away N200, 000 cash from my house drawer. They took my
brand new Home Theatre, which was still inside its carton. My plan was to it take
to the village. I just bought it.
“They
took my Tab, Samsung Galaxy S3 and Nokia. There was a cheque, which someone
used in paying for a car. It was a N800, 000 cheque. They arrested the man that
paid for the car with the cheque. Unfortunately, the man, an Alhaji, bought the
car for his dad, and had since moved it to his father in Kwara State. The buyer
is into oil and gas business. Police arrested Alhaji. The policemen later
cashed that N800, 000 and took it. Some days later, a message came into my
phone; it was my account balance. They insisted that I should withdraw the
money, but I refused. The money was N900, 000 and it belonged to our
association. That was what led to my being tortured. They used baton to hit
every joint on my body. They hit my ankles and knees. I was hung and suspended midair.
And just when I was about to lose consciousness, they brought me down and took
me to Abeokuta General Hospital. I have been to hospital like thrice because of
my failing health, which was caused by the torture.”
Duru
further narrated: “When they took me to the doctor, he ordered that I should not put me placed inside a cell anymore.
He said that they should put me in an open place; a place where I can receive ventilation.
The torture affected my blood pressure. On December 4th, 2016, they
took me to court with Tochukwu and other two guys. I have been in this
prison since December 4, 2016 till date. The policemen, for reasons I can’t
understand charged me for robbery, but I have never robbed in my life. They
said I bought a stolen car, but I didn’t know. I learned that Tochukwu and his
friends hijacked a bus and robbed three passengers. They also collected laptop,
phones and N50, 000 from the passengers.”
Duru
disclosed that the magistrate, who was presiding over the matter, found the policemen
charges questionable and asked them to go back and tidy their case file.
The
magistrate was however later transferred. Duru further said that the policemen,
even in their charge, failed to list his cars, money and phones taken from him.
Sunday Obinna, Tochukwu Njikonye and Abdullahi
Abdulamid were actually those alleged to specialise in snatching cars at
gunpoint and selling to unsuspecting Nigerians. The police said that the gang
also specialised in kidnapping. A 35-year-old man, Ejike, is said to be the
leader of the gang. He is, however, still at large. The police alleged that the
gang had been terrorising Ogun State.
One of the suspects, Abdulamid 32,
said: “I know ‘Small’ about five months ago. I used to carry him and Obinna on
my motorbike from Lagos to Ogun State, where we rob people. We are six-gang
members. There is Small, I don’t know his real name. Ejike Chukwubeke, Obinna
and three others, whose names I don’t know. We robbed a Toyota bus that day. I
don’t know the actual money we made on that operation, but I was given N15,000
as my share. We collected eight phones and three laptops. While I carried Small
back to Lagos, others left with the snatched car. We have only one locally made
pistol. It belonged to our gang leader, Ejike.”
He
recalled that in the gang’s first operation, Ejike held the pistol, while
others held toy guns and sticks. Abdulamid held a torch. In the last operation
before the bursting of the gang, Abdulamid said they snatched a truck and used
it to block the road, before they started robbing incoming vehicles. The day
was October 30, 2016.
He
added: “We were robbing one bus that night before the police came from Ogbere
Division to attack us. We all ran into the bush. When Obinna and Okechukwu
Obinna came out of the bush, police opened fire on them and they were later
arrested. I later came out of the bush around 10am the following day. I was moving
without shoes. Mobile policemen, who were on duty, arrested me. They took me to
the station, where I saw two of our gang members. Immediately our gang members
saw, they identified me to the police.”
Recalling his role in the gang, Njikonye
said: "We made use of sticks, you guns and torch for the operation. Ejike,
our gang leader is involved in kidnapping. He used to kidnap people and demand
for huge sums of money from their loved ones.”
Njikonye explained that whenever the
gang was going for operation, members would wear black clothes.
He added: “Duru usually buys stolen
vehicles from us. I sold a Jeep to him for N100, 000 and two Camry cars. The
first car, which is a Mazda, was sold for N70, 000. The four cars were snatched
by our gang at gunpoint.”
One of the gang’s victims, Segun
Abiodun said: “I know Obinna, Tochukwu and Abdulamid. On October 30, 2016, I
was travelling in a Hiace bus from Asaba to Lagos, when I had an encounter with
them. At a point after Ore, Obinna, Tochukwu and Abdulamid armed with guns
attacked the bus in which I was travelling. I was robbed of my phone, beads and
money. The police were alerted by sounds of gunshots. They arrived the scene
and after combing the surroundings, found and arrested the suspects.”
The Investigating Police Officer
(IPO), Sergeant Seyi Kayode of SARS, Abeokuta, said: “ On November 8, 2016, I
was on duty at FSARS office when a case of armed robbery was transferred from
Ogbere Division for further investigation. The accused persons as well as the
exhibits were also transferred. I obtained voluntary statement from available
witnesses. I re-arrested, charged and cautioned the accused persons. Tochukwu,
Obinna and Abdulamid statements were confessional. On November 14, Duru was
brought to the station for receiving stolen goods from Tochukwu, Obinna and
Abdulamid.”
Police
recover gun, jack knife from robbery suspects
Ijeoma Okeke
Operatives of the Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos
State Police Command have arrested two robbery suspects for allegedly
dispossessing unsuspecting Nigerians of their valuables.
The Lagos State Commissioner of
Police, Zubairu Muazu, confirming the arrest of the suspects, said that they
were arrested at the Oregun, Ikeja area of the metropolis.
Muazu said: “We received credible information
that some suspected armed robbers were sighted operating at Oregun axis. Immediately,
a combined team of operatives from Alausa Police Station and SARS were mobilised
to the scene of the incident. The suspects, on sighting the operatives, took to
their heels. But luck ran against one of them. He was arrested at the scene. He
was immediately searched. One cut- to- size locally made single barrel gun,
three unexpended cartridges, a jack knife and some charms were recovered from
him.”
The CP further added: “During
interrogation, the suspect introduced himself as Ifeanyi Owo. He led policemen
to arrest his partner in crime, Idris Pedro. It was also revealed that the
suspects were among robbers that had been terrorising Olowora, Alausa, Ogba and
its environs. The suspects are currently assisting the police with useful
information, which will ultimately lead to the arrest of other fleeing members
of the gang.”
Bloody
gun battle leads to three suspects’ arrest
Segun Ogunbo
The Lagos State Police Command has
arrested three suspected thieves for allegedly burgling a store along Owen Street,
Jibowu.
The suspects, Paul Ozurumba,
Stanley Sungalome and Michael Agbunwor, were arrested on February 19.
The Lagos State Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO), Chike Oti, said: “The policemen sighted the hoodlums
in front of the store with their operational vehicle. The vehicle is a
space wagon, with registration number PG 393 AAA. The suspects, on seeing the
approaching police team, sped off, driving against traffic in
their desperation to evade arrest. They were given a hot chase by the
police. However, the occupants of the bus opened fire at the police team,
forcing the policemen to retaliate. The bus abruptly halted and fell into a
ditch. Some of the robbers escaped with bullet wounds, leaving their member,
who sustained bullet injury, behind. The suspect was found with three big sacks
containing different sizes of shoes, bags, clothes and other items.
During interrogation, he gave his
name as Paul Ozurumba. A search warrant was executed in his house and the
following items, ranging from refrigerator, pharmaceutical drugs, bale of
underwear, televisions and other property suspected to have been stolen, were
recovered from him. The suspect led the police to the arrest of the two other
members of his gang, Stanley Sungalome and Michael Agbunwor.”
Robbery
suspects held after ordering phone online
Opeyemi Ayinde
Anti-Robbery Policemen attached to
the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two suspects for allegedly robbing
posing as a buyer in order to rob a phone dealer at the Ikotun-Egbe area of the
metropolis of two android phones.
The police explained that suspects
ordered the two android phones online, worth N283,000 respectively and waited for the delivery man.
The Lagos State Commissioner of
Police, Zubairu Muazu explained: “The suspects ordered for the phones online
and asked the dealer to come and deliver them. They said that when he comes to
deliver the phones, that’s when they would pay. The dealer didn’t know that the
acclaimed buyer belonged to a gang of armed robbers. The victim was rounded up
by three armed men who had a standby motorcycle. The dealer was shot on the
thigh and the two phones snatched from him.”
Muazu further stated: “On receiving
the report, SARS operatives swung into action. On sighting the operatives, one
of the robbers fled with the operational motorcycle and the two phones. He was,
however, out of luck as policemen pursued and caught him. The suspects were
searched and a cut -to- size triple
barrel gun was recovered from them.
“The two suspects Obinna Anyanwu and
Ernest Chinonso have been arrested. During interrogation, the suspects
confessed to the crime. The suspects are
currently assisting the operatives with information that will lead to the
arrests of other fleeting members of the gang.”
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