Three suspected members of a robbery gang have been arrested for allegedly dispossessing a United Kingdom returnee and his neighbour of cash and other valuables estimated at N14m.
The suspects who operate in Ayobo, Ishefu, Baruwa and Gowon Estate areas of Lagos State, were said to have robbed UK returnee identified simply as Tobi and his next door neighbour, Okeowo about two weeks apart on Gemade Estate located within Gowon Estate.
It was gathered that the kingpin, Aje led the suspects, Sheyi Olayiwola, Sadiq Adeniji and Maduka Godwin, to the two operations.
Aje, said to be at large alerted his gang shortly after Tobi returned from the UK in December 2020 and they stormed the victim’s house on the night of December 18, carting away naira notes and foreign currencies estimated at N1m.
According to the police, the gang made away with seven iPhones, expensive jewellery and laptops valued at N10m.
“They gained access into Tobi’s compound through the fence and broke his kitchen burglary before going into the house to rob him with his own knives, carting away N1m, both local and foreign currencies, seven pieces of iPhone 12 Pro-Max and expensive jewellery valued at N10m.
“Two weeks after that incident, On January 4, 2021, the suspects returned to Gemade Estate. They robbed the home of one Mr. Okeowo, who is next to Tobi, using the same pattern. They carted away valuables worth over N4m.”
One of the gang member, Adeniji, 23, narrated how he got involved in the robbery.
“I am a tyre repairer and married with a child. It was one Aje whom I met in Ikotun Market that initiated me into the gang. It was Aje that led us to that Gemade Estate. He had lived in that area. He called us to go to the house of the man who just returned from London.
“Everybody went away with what they took from his house. I don’t know the total value of what we sold but I made good money from the operation.”
Another gang member, Godwin,19, said “We usually sold the stolen phones at the Akala area in Mushin. Aje is the leader of our gang and he is also the person who identifies where we would rob.
“We don’t use guns. In the daytime, we would gamble with the money we made from robbery and by night, we would group ourselves and visit any house we think the owners are rich and have valuables.”
The third suspect, twenty eight-year-old, Olayiwola denied participating in the robbery in Gemade Estate’s robberies.
But the father of two admitted to have followed the gang to six other robberies at Ayobo, Ishefun and Baruwa areas.
“We carried out those robberies after breaking into the houses from the windows. I got a total of N250, 000 as my shares after the operations.”