Kaduna police nab ex-soldier- turned- robber with gang

Hassan Ibrahim, Kaduna

RESIDENTS of Kaduna and environs would now heave a sigh of relief as the State Police Command recently arrested a gang of armed robbers led by a dismissed Army Corporal, Adamu Usman.

While in the Army, Usman was alleged to have been involved in many criminal acts prominent among which was using his car and army uniform to smuggle weapons from the South-South and supplying such weapons to men of the underworld who gave residents of the state a sleepless nights. He was later arrested made to face military court martial and handed over to the police.

When the suspect was still in prison, the prison authorities were said to have discovered that he had tuberculosis and alerted that such disease could be dangerous and harmful to other inmates. Lucky Usman was however, granted bail, a situation that allowed him to use the contacts he made in prison to form another robbery gang. Usman was also alleged to have met Festus Eze in prison who claimed to be in the oil business. When Eze was also granted bail, Usman contacted him on phone and together, they formed a squad and moved to the South-South. Out of the Army, Usman was said to be using the uniform and identity card to beat checkpoints in his Honda Halla car anytime he smuggled weapons into Kaduna for his men who had a field day before their nocturnal activities and flamboyant lifestyle became worrisome to the owner of the hotel where they lodged in Kaduna south.

While parading Usman and his gang after they were arrested, the State Commissioner of Police Mr. Ernest Ibhaze said the ex-soldier confessed to being responsible for the series of dastardly robbery acts within the state but the police were able to arrest him and his gang at various locations on tip off from good Nigerians. According to the Police Commissioner, “following a tip off, the police command detectives swung into action and succeeded in arresting a 10-man gang of armed robbery suspects who have been terrorising residences and other important places in Kaduna metropolis in recent times.

Mr.Ibhaze named the gang members as Adamu Usman, Lawan Dan Ibro, Festus Eze, Oluchi Umeh, Ndubuisi Ogbonna, Ogu Eboh, Efe Esagbodhe, Venture Enamegwolo. Clinton Edejekola and Victor Bassey. Ibhaze stated that the gang leader, Usman had formerly been arrested for series of armed robbery operations in the state, charged to court but later released by the court before he formed the present armed robbery gang, same as Festus Eze who was also arrested for armed robbery and car snatching, charged to court but later released before he joined the same gang.

Several exhibits were alleged to have been recovered from the suspects, including one Lar rifle with magazine, one Beretta pistol with magazine, two single barrel locally made guns, one double barrel locally made gun, two single barrel guns cut to size, nine rounds of ammunition, nine rounds of live cartridges, 21 cartridges, three army camouflag uniform, one military identity card, one black Honda Halla car with registration number AV 256 MUS.

Others are one Sony digital camera, one Canon digital camera, one Excel camera, one other camera, one universal charger, one profoto film, six mobile phones, 20 sim cards of different makes, three wrist watches one Afribank cheque book and a set of wrappers.” Speaking on the charges Usman who was weeping like a child, said he was released from jail because he was a tuberculosis patient. “A friend, Oluchi Umeh invited me, when I went there I was arrested by the police. I was released by the court because I’m a tuberculosis patient. I did not know how I went back to robbery again.