We have soldiers backing to rub-suspects

A six-man robbery gang, which was recently arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos, has said they were able to successfully carry out robbery operations through the connivance of a serving soldier.

 

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects, Jude Madu, Romanus Nweke, Edwin Ndinemeni, Abuchi Afunaya, Chibuzor Umebi,  and Osita Nnaji; specialised in hijacking trucks in transit and selling off its contents.

 

It was learnt that the suspects were arrested on Saturday.

 

Confessing their roles in the crime, the alleged gang leader, Madu, who claimed to be 29-years-old, said a serving soldier usually supplied them with ammunition. Continue after the cut...

 

Narrating how they usually operated along interstate highways, the indigene of Umunze, Anambra State, said, “When we spot a truck that we are interested in, we drive in a rough manner and block the truck. When the truck hits our vehicle, the soldier will alight, go straight to the truck driver and slap him for hitting our car.

“He will ask the driver to come down and threaten to take him to an army barracks where he will be dealt with. One of our gang members, Afunaya, will then jump into the truck and speed off.

“We will drive the truck to a park and hand it over to one of our men, Obinna, who then drives the truck to Onitsha, Anambra State, and sells off its contents. My share from the last operation was N200,000.”

 

A second suspect, a 30-year-old indigene of Enugu State, said he sometimes also dressed as a soldier during robbery operations.

 

He explained that they usually hijacked trucks conveying drugs, chemicals, tyre, spare parts and beverages.

 

“It was the army man that gave me the army uniform of a lance corporal to follow them to hijack the truck.  For the chemical truck that we hijacked I was given N150, 000.  My role is to intimidate the driver with my gun,” he said.

 

Ndinemeni, a 27-year-old marble dealer and indigene of Imo State, said he joined the gang because of poverty, adding that he usually drove hijacked trucks to Iddo Park in Lagos State where its contents are offloaded.

He said his share from the last job was N350, 000.

 

Umebi, 24, who claimed to be an electronics dealer, said he took to robbery because he was once robbed of all his valuables and wanted revenge.

“I was an electronics dealer before I lost my goods to armed robbers.  I decided to be an armed robber after being robbed.  My role is to join the soldier to hold the conductor and the driver to enable the gang take over the truck and divert it.  My going into armed robbery is a curse because in one operation a victim cursed me,” he said.

 

Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, who confirmed the incident, said investigations were still ongoing.