THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
6
CITYBEATS
CITYBEATS LINE: 07059022999
Our exploits, by bank robbers
T
HREE suspected robbery kingpins arrested by the police in Lagos have been singing like birds in custody. The suspects said to be leaders of three different gangs that specialise in robbing banks in Lagos and other Southwest states. They were caught by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) last Friday. Christian Joshua, 30, Fasasi Jamiu, 42, and Ifeanyi Douglas, 27, are being interrogated by detectives. Joshua claims that he sells second-hand clothing at Misabo market, Cotonou, Benin Republic. Jamiu, an indigene of Igbaja in Kwara State, says he is into haulage business, adding that some of his trucks convey containers from Apapa Wharf to Abuja. He said he also owns a shop at Mandilas, Garba Square in Victoria Island. Douglas, who says he is an indigene of Ohaukwu in Ebonyi State, told investigators that he is an apprentice trader in a provision store at Ijebu Igbo in Ogun State. Two others, Sunday Felix and 'Asiwaju' , referred to as directors in the line of business, are still at large. Joshua said: "My role is to conceal the gang's weapons in our operational vehicle and bring them out and supply gang members at the scene of crime. Though I am the gang's armourer, I used to follow them to rob because gang members are liars. They lie a lot. If you are not there, they may not give you a dime. They can realise millions of naira and come back to tell you that they did not get a kobo, or that the operation was not successful. They are very greedy people. I don't trust them. It was one Rasheed who brought the two AK47 rifles and put them in a hole in a Toyota bus. "I participated in five bank robberies in Southwest state. I made millions
By Ebele Boniface
of naira, but believe me, I did not invest or save a kobo. I spent the money on drugs, drinks, women and hotel accommodation or lodging. There was a time we gave the two AK47 rifles to one Pastor Ibikunle who prays for gangs for their operations to be successful, but he converted the rifles and gave them out to another gang that operated at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja on March 13. He was paid millions of naira but he did not give any money to our gang." He said: "I belong to the gang that specialised in attacking bank bullion vehicles. The one we blocked at Dopola Junction, Lagos, off Shagamu, were executed by eight of us. I got N150, 000 only. I am still with the money. I have not spent a kobo out of it. If the police assure me of my release, I will tell them where I kept the money, but they must first release me and see what I can do. "I have never killed any policeman in all the operations I participated in. The worst we have done is to collect rifles from them, tie their hands and feet or lock them up inside a room for as long as the operation lasted. We don't like killing policemen because it makes the government and police authorities to take armed robbery case seriously. Moreover, policemen on bank duties panic a lot and any slightest sign of bank robbers makes them to run into hiding. Only SARS operatives have the courage to confront robbers." Jamiu said he went into armed robbery because he lost everything he had worked for in life when his shop got burnt. He sai: "I got frustrated and started thinking of what to do to survive since nobody was ready to assist me. That
•The three suspects
‘I have never killed any policeman. The worst we have done is to collect rifles from them, tie their hands and feet or lock them up inside a room for as long as the operation lasted. We don't like killing policemen because it makes the government and police authorities to take armed robbery case seriously’ was how I met a friend, Paul. After narrating my problems to him, he said he would teach me how to fish. He told me that they had a plan to rob a bank and if they succeeded, it would take them to a higher level in life. He asked me to follow him if I wanted and I did because I needed money badly. Luckily, the operation was successful and the gang got over
N10million from the bank, that day. "We were 13; they gave me N150, 000 and I was happy. The operation was smooth and successful. No policeman was killed. The operation was carried out around 5.00pm in First Bank and Union Bank on the same Street in Oro, Kwara State that same day, January this year. Only two of the bank workers were inside when we entered. My role that day was to help pack the money into our vehicle". Douglas said: "We robbed a bank in Osun State last year. I did not know the actual amount we got, but I was given N380, 000. We were about 13 of us in the First Bank robbery. It was our first operation. I used my own share of the money to pay the hospital bill of my sister, Chinyere Douglas. The hospital bill was about N120, 000. She had an operation for appendicitis which later developed complications, hence the huge bill that I paid. "We also robbed Wema Bank and I nearly died in that operation because they alerted SARS operatives who engaged us in a shoot-out. I still have N80, 000 in my Diamond Bank account. I used the balance to help myself in feeding well." On how he was arrested, he said:
•Lagos State Police Commissioner Umar Manko "When Jamiu called me on phone that there was another job that would fetch me at least N5million, I was so excited that I continued to worry him to know when we would go on the operation. I was so impatient that the following day, I was the one who called to ask him how far with the planned operation and he asked me where I was and I told him that I was in Ijebu Ode. He said he was coming to meet me and take me to where others were. When I saw him, I was so happy, but before I knew it, I was arrested by SARS operatives led by SP Abba Kyari."
Foundation offers free medical services
A
non-governmental organisation, Genotype Foundation, has offered free medical services to Lagos people. Besides, it gave people the opportunity for voluntary blood donation. Beneficiaries enjoyed free eye test with eye glasses. They were tested for HIV, genotype and blood group, blood pressure, weight and height, among others. It was during a free medical screening/ blood donation drive and counselling for sickle cell patients organised by the organisation in collaboration with Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS). Its executive director, Mrs Doris Gbemiloye, who lamented on the inability of Nigerians to observe regular medical checks, noted that the gesture to safeguard people's health. "Our aim in this foundation is to help people to stay healthy, most especially sickle cell patients. We want
By Olatunde Odebiyi
to contribute our quota to making life better for sickle cell patients and ensuring reduction to new births of sickle cell," she explained. She said that the assists sickle cell patients whenever they need help, adding: "We encourage people to donate blood regularly in a spate of three to four months. This is because sickle cell patients sometimes fall into crisis when they need blood to remain alive. Such instances, she said, include, accident, bleeding during delivery and blood Mrs Olatunde Olubunmi, a member of the group, who donated blood, urged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of voluntary blood donation to reduce death rate in the country, Jimoh Ayo Ade, another blood donor, said blood donation would help doctors to render quick and quality service to victims.
•Blood donors during the exercise
` ` ``
Two arrested for N1.5m theft at Lagos airport
T
WO passengers on an Abujabound MedView Airline flight were yesterday arrested for allegedly attempting to steal N1.5million from the aircraft's hand luggage compartment. They were arrested by security officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), following an alarm raised by the owner of the money whose luggage was tempered with. FAAN's General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr Yakubu Dati, said the flight was scheduled to leave the Murtala Mohammed
By Kelvin Osa Okunbor
Airport Ikeja (MMA 2) for Abuja at 9.00am, but was delayed because of the incident. Dati said FAAN's security personnel's attention was drawn to the aircraft by the airline's crew. The passengers who were suspected by the owner of the luggage were searched and the money was found on them. The suspects, Dati said, were taken away and were undergoing interrogation at FAAN's Crime Investigation Bureau. They will be
handed over to the police after investigation. Dati said: "FAAN wishes to assure the public, especially passengers, that people engaged in nefarious activities at our airports, will no longer find life comfortable at our airports, as adequate security measures have been put in place to make our airports safer." Sources at the airport said the suspects trailed the owner of the money from the bank where he collected the cash, to the airport. On arrival at the airport, the suspects were said to have monitored
him to Medview Airlines’ counter, where they bought tickets and asked the counter staff to give them seats close to the unsuspecting passenger. A source said when the suspects stood up to steal the money from the overhead cabin compartment, the owner observed that his bag was open and his money had disappeared. He quickly raised an alarm. In the ensuing melee, the pilot directed that the aircraft could not take off, until some security checks were carried out, which led to the discovery of the money on the suspects' seats.
PHOTO: OLATUNDE ODEBIYI
Monarch warns subjects over ceremony THE traditional leader of the Ilaje community in Bariga area of Lagos State, Chief Kayode Aiyetiwa, has urged members of the public to ignore a purported invitation by some "unscrupulous agents" to an Ilaje Day celebration at Bariga fixed for April 7. In a statement yesterday, Baale Aiyetiwa urged the public to disregard such invitation because it never emanated from him and that that celebration may be used by hoodlums to destabilise the community.