Three
armed robbery suspects, who were arrested by the Lagos State Police
Command, have said they joined secret cults and started robbing when
they were still primary school pupils.
PUNCH Metro
learnt that the suspects– Abraham Nsong, Bright Chukwuemeka and Dare
Adetunji– were arrested by operatives of the state Special Anti-Robbery
Squad on November 2.
Our
correspondent gathered that the suspects had allegedly gone to rob at
Salvation Street, Oke Odan, Iyana Isashi area of Lagos, when they were
apprehended.
It was learnt that one
of their victims, identified simply as Eboge, sustained deep cuts on the
head, while her daughter was also allegedly shot by the robbery
suspects. The girl, whose name was given as Ann, was said to be
recuperating in a hospital.
According
to the police, the items recovered from the suspects are a locally-made
gun, a pistol and three knives. Our correspondent also learnt that a
member of the gang, who the police identified simply as Joshua, was
still at large.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro,
21-year-old Nsong, who hails from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said he joined
the Eiye Confraternity when he was in basic 5 at a public primary school
in Badagry, Lagos.
He said, “I
dropped out of secondary school because my parents died. My father had
an accident, while my mother died of an illness I believe was spiritual.
When I was in primary school, I joined the Eiye cult. I was then in
class five.
“The reason I joined them
was to just to intimidate people. We were using an uncompleted building
in my school compound back then. I attended a public primary school in
Badagry which I cannot recall its name now.”
Nsong,
whose arms were tattooed with various animals and symbols, added that
he had been invited by Joshua to partake in the operation at Iyana
Isashi on the day of the incident. He said they stole expensive phones,
jewellery and cash from their victims.
He
said, “I had gone to Okokomaiko to smoke hemp with friends on that day.
When it was about 8pm, my guy (Joshua) said there was a house we could
rob. So, we moved. When we got to the woman’s house, we collected her
property ranging from phones and laptops to cash. But while we were
trying to escape, a crowd cornered, arrested us and invited the police.”
Also,
Adetunji, 21, who hails from Ila Orangun, Osun State, said he began
breaking into people’s houses in his primary school days. Adetunji added
that it was Joshua who injured the woman and her daughter during their
operation.
He said, “Since when I was
in primary school, I have learned to rob. I was about 12 years. I took
to stealing because I wanted to survive. I had fled from home and was
staying with my grandmother in the Ilogbo, Ajangbadi area. My mother
lived in Sango Ota, Ogun State. My father had died.
“I
tore the window nets of houses with razor blades, and sneaked in to
rob. I used to steal property and money. On that day, we were four in
number. It was Chukwuemeka who took us to the house of the woman. When
we went in at about 2am, we asked her for money and she cooperated.
“I
took two BlackBerry phones, Techno Android, LG and a wallet containing
N8, 000. When we were about leaving the house, the woman and her
children began to scream. Joshua then became angry and he injured the
woman and her daughter.”
Adetunji added that he was ready to start a new life if forgiven.
“I
have gone for four operations. I got between N5, 000 and N15, 000. I
robbed because I needed to survive. But now, I am very sorry and if the
government forgives me, I will turn a new leaf,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chukwuemeka denied any knowledge of the robbery, adding that he had never robbed in his life.
“I
had seen the boys lurking around our area in the evening, but I never
joined them in the operation. It was in the morning, when the SARS
operatives came, that the boys identified me as their gang member. That
was why I was arrested,” he said.
The
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu,
confirmed the arrest of the three suspects, adding that investigations
were still ongoing.
“Yes, the suspects have been arrested by the police and investigations are ongoing,” he said.
Source: Punch Online
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