Operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Adeniji-Adele Annex, have busted a two-man robbery syndicate terrorising Idimu, Ikotun and Igando areas of Lagos State.
The suspects – Sunkanmi Emmanuel, aka Federal, 30 and 28-year-old Ahmed Agunbiade, aka Omojoyibo – were arrested last week in the Igando area while they were reportedly going for a robbery operation.It was learnt that the suspects specialised in robbing club goers of their belongings, including motorcycles in the communities.
One Dotun Ogunsanya, aka Dotman, was also arrested for buying stolen phones and motorcycles from the syndicate while a commercial motorcycle rider, Nurudeen Agbeyewo, was nabbed for allegedly taking Federal and Omojoyinbo for operations.
City Round gathered that a team of detectives swooped on the gang following complaints to the officer-in-charge of FSARS, Adeniji, DCP Ibrahim Kaoje.
It was gathered that the team, led by one SP Olaniyi Festus, also tracked down two members of a gang, Segun Okiande and Olude Usman, that specialised in burglary in the Igando area.
The police said 15 motorcycles, three cut-to-size guns, cartridges and a plasma television, were recovered from the robbery suspects.
“Emmanuel, aka Federal lives at Totowu, Ogun State while Omojoyibo resides in Igando, Lagos State. A river separates the two communities. “They specialised in robbing people at night at gunpoint. Three guns were recovered from them. They have a standby motorcyclist who takes them to locations where they carry out their operations. The two prime suspects (Federal and Omojoyibo) were traced to a hotel at Totowu. A motorcycle was recovered from them.
“Ogunsanya, aka Dotman is the major receiver. There are other suspects at large who sold stolen items to him. Federal is a member of Eye Cult. They would go to clubs and hotels and rob visitors there while they were leaving. They terrorise Idimu, Igando and Ikotun areas of the state,” a police source said.
In an interview with our correspondent earlier in the week, Federal, a native of Ondo State, admitted to being a robber and a cult member.
The 30-year-old father of five, however, said his targets were Internet fraudsters (popularly known as Yahoo boys), claiming that he did not rob innocent people.
He said, “I came to Lagos in 1998. I was an apprentice mechanic. In 2003, the government demolished my boss’ shop and he went back to his village. I became a commercial motorcyclist. After some time, it was seized by the police. I joined Eye confraternity in 2015. Our leader bought a gun for me. He is dead now.
“I started using the gun to rob. I would go to clubs on Fridays and mingle with Yahoo boys who spent lavishly there. As they were leaving, I would follow them. On getting to a deserted place, I would point the gun at them and collect their money and phones.
“I usually freed Eye cult members among them once they told me they did not have money. I have collected about six phones and sold them to Dotman. I got to him at Totowu area, where I live. I don’t rob innocent people. It is Yahoo boys who have money that I rob. I use the money I get to take care of my family. I have five children from two wives.”
Federal also confessed to have stolen six motorcycles, identifying Omojoyibo as his accomplice.
The motorcycles, our correspondent learnt, were parked by their owners around a mosque bordering Igando and Totowu, while they boarded boats to Totowu.
Federal said they took away the bikes before the owners returned to the spot.
He added, “We have sold five motorcycles to Dotman. We sold each for N30,000. I also stole one at a site.
Omojoyibo and I were going to a club in Igando on a Friday when the police arrested me but he escaped. They found ammunition on me. We were not going to rob that night. I took them to my house where I kept my gun. The police later tracked down Omojoyibo and Dotman.”
Omojoyibo, 28, who hails from Ilorin, Kwara State, said he was a cobbler and commercial motorcyclist, adding that he took to robbery in 2017 after his motorcycle was seized by the police for plying highway.
“While I was looking for other means, I met Federal in Igando. We lived in the same area before he relocated to Totowu. He told me how he robbed Yahoo boys in hotels and clubs and we started working together. I also brought the idea of stealing motorcycles parked at the back of the mosque between Igando and Totowu. I have a wife and two children. The police should have mercy on me,” he added.
Dotman, a 31-year-old father of two from Remo, Ogun State, said he started buying stolen items after his inability to get enough capital to run his phone accessory shop in Totowu.
He said, “I finished my National Diploma in 2008. I have a phone accessory shop. My father is in the United Kingdom. He has been there for 17 years. I begged him to give me the capital to run the business properly, but he did not honour my request. I decided to be buying motorcycles and phones from Federal and Omojoyibo. I buy motorcycles for N30,000 each and sell it for N35,000. I have bought nine motorcycles from them. The police have recovered three of the motorcycles from me. I also bought six phones from them.”
The commercial motorcyclist, Agbeyewo, accused of taking the robbers to locations where they robbed people, denied the allegations, claiming that he only rented out his motorcycle to them on the grounds that it would be used for commercial purposes.
The 19-year-old said, “I did not know anything about this case. I only rented out my machine to Federal and Omojoyinbo. I am the owner of the motorcycle. I did not know they used it for robbery. They told me they wanted to use it for commercial purposes.”
One of the suspected burglars, Okinade, 20, said he only operated within his neighbourhood on Isuti Road, Igando.
He stated, “I finished from secondary school two years ago. It was a friend called Gatuso who introduced me to burglary. We usually tore window nets at night and stole whatever items we could lay our hands on.
“We later met Usman and we went for an operation in a church together. We stole a fan and a generator in the church. There was also a time I burgled my father’s tenant’s room. I stole the man’s Plasma TV.”
Usman, 23, explained that he usually worked with one Kenny whom he knew at a shop where he was learning tailoring.
The secondary school leaver said he and Kenny stole a motorcycle, but the police arrested him (Usman) with it.
“I took the motorcycle to my family house. Unfortunately, somebody saw it and alerted the owner. I was arrested and charged to court. I spent a month in Kirikiri Prison before I was released.
“My father locked me up so that I would not be able to go out at night. A few weeks ago, at night, I told my mummy that I wanted to urinate. She opened the door for me and I escaped. I went to steal a generator. As I wanted to carry it, its owner attacked me with a machete. I sustained injuries. It was Segun (Okinade) who mentioned my name to the police.”