I wanted to use proceeds of armed
robbery for my baby’s naming ceremony - Says dare-devil armed robber
Saka Gbeminiyi
"My intention was to quit armed robbery after the last operation. My plan was to use the proceeds from the operation for the naming ceremony of my baby. I have two wives. One of them will soon deliver, so I decided to take part in the last operation”.
That was Stephen Eze, an armed robbery suspect arrested by the men of the Ogun State Police Command.
Eze is currently undergoing interrogation at the Anti -Robbery Section of the State Criminal and Investigation Department (SCID) Eleweran, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Sources at the command told Sunday Tribune that Eze was part of a dare-devil armed robbery gang that has been terrorizing the people of Ogun State. Sunday Tribune learnt that Eze and his gang are Nigerians, but are based in Benin Republic. They always operate in Nigeria. The gang, the police said has been having a field day because after each operation, they retreated to their base in Benin Republic to hide.That has made it difficult for them to be arrested.
The source also confirmed that the gang was responsible for series of armed robbery attacks, especially around Idi-Iroko and other towns around the country’s border.
However, Eze met his waterloo recently when the police, acting on a distress call, stormed the Agbadu area of Idi-Iroko, where a robbery operation was going on.
When the police detectives got to the scene of the operation, they saw the suspect with a pistol in his hand. He was using it to dispossess people of their belongings.
He confessed to the police that he had been staying in Gholor, a border town in Benin Republic and only came to Nigeria for operations
Speaking on his background, the suspect said he was a Nigerian from Asaba in Delta State and that his elder brother brought him to Ilaro, Ogun State.
On how he joined the armed robbery gang, he said "I have been stealing before I left Asaba, but I became a full time armed robber when I came down to Ilaro with my brother. I was staying with him until he sent me out of his house when I stole his wife’s money and that was how I became a full time armed robber.
“When I left my elder brother’s house, I met a Yoruba boy, Adebola and together we formed a gang. I later moved to Gholor in Benin Republic, while my partner (Adebola) remained in Nigeria. We communicated on how to operate. We operated mainly in Nigeria, and together we had many successful operations before the last one when I was caught.”
On how he got the pistol he said that he saw it inside a set of upholstery he bought from the family of a late Customs Officer. He claimed that the family sold the upholstery to him following the death of the customs officer.
He explained that after using the upholstery for some time, he decided to change the cover. It was then he saw the pistol.
The robber confirmed that the gun made the gang’s job easier. “You see, people fear gun, they obeyed our command when they see us with gun. Initially, it was a bit difficult before we got the pistol. We had used the pistol to carry out many operations. In fact, you alone can go out for operation and people would still obey you if you have a gun.”
On his regret, he lamented that, “You see, I took part in the last operation because I wanted to raise money for my coming baby and his mother. If not for that I would not have ventured into the last operation. I regret my action.”
The command said that the suspect will soon be charged to court on two count charges of unlawful possession of firearms and armed robbery.
Speaking on the arrest of the trans-border armed brandits, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Apapa said the command is ever ready to make Ogun State and its environs a forbidden place for armed robbers and other criminals.
He explained that over 20 suspects who confessed to be trans-border armed robbers have been paraded by the command in the last six months. He added that the command will not rest until the state is made safe for the law abiding citizens.
