Lagos Police Command reads riot act to criminals, seizes 130 hoodlums that rape, rob victims.IN
the Ajegunle area of Lagos metropolis, they are known as the ‘One
Million Boys’, notorious for giving residents sleepless nights through
their involvement in all sorts of crime.
At last, however, the long arm of the law has caught up with them, as the Lagos State Police
Command yesterday paraded no fewer than 130 of them.The Lagos
State Police boss, Alhaji Umar Manko told reporters: “We have arrested
some of them, they call themselves the ‘One Million Boys’, and they go
from house to house, raping women and stealing from them.
“I assure you that even if they are up to one million in number, my command will neutralize them.We have arrested 130 of them and we are prepared for them.They should leave Lagos or face the wrath of my command.”
The
Police boss also said his men had arrested bandits behind most of the
bank robberies in Lagos, including the recent one at Sterling Bank,
Matori, Mushin, in the metropolis.
Besides, two bank drivers who
give armed robbers information and connive with hoodlums to dispossess
their banks’ customers of their hard-earned monies, were also brought
before reporters.
“We have syndicates of bank workers who invite armed robbers to their banks.We have eight suspects in that group including two drivers, one attached to Sterling Bank and the other to Eco Bank,” he said.
He
continued: “On September 26, 2012, at about 6.00p.m., one Ahmed
Ajofoba and Saheed Olawunmi were arrested by Area ‘D’ Command
Headquarters, Mushin, at Sterling Bank, Matori, after a shoot-out when
the gang went to rob the bank.Ahmed and Saheed made confessional
statements, which led to the arrest of eight others and the recovery of
one locally-made pistol with one live cartridge.
“The case was subsequently transferred to Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja on October 2, 2012 for further investigation.The
suspects were interrogated and they further confessed that their
armourer, Adedokun Yusuf and the gang leader, Ahmed Adelakun were in
Aiyetoro, Ogun State.
Consequently, they led SARS operatives to
Aiyetoro where the duo was arrested and two locally-made pistols with
four live cartridges were recovered.The suspects who normally
operate with the collaboration of insiders, confessed to have robbed
Sterling Bank, Matori branch, Mushin, Lagos, May 25, 2012 where they
carted away N8 million and Eco Bank, Isolo on August 29, 2012.
“Investigation is still ongoing.”One
of the suspects, Muftau Eleduwe, a Muslim cleric, who usually prays for
them for successful operation, confessed that they usually make returns
to him after every successful operation.
According to Muftau: “ The gang members usually come to me for prayers of protection.
“On
this particular occasion, I prayed for them and they gave me N307,000,
but the other operation was not successful, so they implicated me and
told the police that I usually pray and see vision for them.”
Another
suspect, 24-year-old Lukeman Adekunle, who spoke in pigin English said:
“I am from Yobo, Ogun State and I operate the motorcycle for the gang.The second operation we went for at Sterling Bank, Fatai Atere failed and they arrested us.
“It rained and that was why they were able to catch us.Ahmed
Ajofoba, 25, told The Guardian all he was praying for was just one more
chance, that he has turned his back on armed robbery forever.
“I
was a dealer in Electronics i
n Ifo, Ogun State before I joined this
gang. It was an unlucky day for us at that Fatai Atere Way branch of
Sterling Bank.
“If I am forgiven, I will run from armed robbery,” Ahmed said
