‘Why I Brought Three Of My Friends From Delta State To Rob My Uncle In Lagos’
Posted by: Deolu
on September 6, 2014
Six suspected armed robbers said to be members of a gang that has
been terrorizing Lagos, Delta and Imo states for long have been arrested
by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, Lagos.
The suspects identified as: Emmanuel Erherhie, Joseph Ovologbarho,
Innocent Ibe, Victor Ezenwa, Oyoma Akbojiyouwi and James Ukerume, were
arrested after they carried out an unsuccessful robbery operation in
Lagos.
Their arrest, according to Police sources, followed an intelligence
report received by the Lagos State Police Command on a robbery operation
in Festac, which led to arrest of one of the suspects, Innocent Ibe at
the robbery scene while others fled.
It was gathered that after a long manhunt, other members of the gang
were arrested in different areas in Delta State. Recovered from the
suspects were four locally made guns and cartridges used for the
operation.
Crime Guard gathered that the leader of the gang, Emmanuel
Erherhie contracted his gang members in Delta State to rob his Uncle in
Lagos after his uncle allegedly chased him out of his house after he was
released from prison.
Suspects account
During interrogation, 24-year-old Emmanuel Erherhie, said he got
arrested because he organised robbers to rob his uncle who lives in
Festac. According to him, “I brought three of my friends from Delta
State to rob my uncle in Lagos. But the robbery operation failed as we
were arrested. I lived with him for about four months. He drove me out
of his house after I had an accident with his car and the vehicle got
damaged beyond repair. I hit another car which was also badly damaged
so, the owner of the car I hit arrested me that night. When I called my
uncle, he said he had no hand in that. Nobody came to bail me. The case
was charged to court and eventually I was sent to prison for six months.
“But for the help of my elder brother, Godwin Erherhie who assisted
to secure my release, I would still be in prison. When I eventually got
released from Kirikiri prison, I came back to my brother’s house; he
chased me out, saying that I was no longer welcomed in his house,and he
didn’t even allow me to pick my belongings. I was wasting away, jobless
and roaming the streets and my brother refused to help. I left Lagos out
of frustration to Delta State. While I was in Delta State, I met my
childhood friend Joseph, and told him to help me organise people for the
robbery operation. I stayed two months there strategising and
perfecting plans to rob my uncle.
We were four who robbed the house.
“If we had succeeded in the operation, I would have used the money to
process travel documents to travel to Austria. A friend of mine who I
met when I was an apprentice had promised to help me process documents
if I had the money. When I was living with my uncle, I worked as a sales
boy in his furniture company. He wasn’t paying me; he only gave me
pocket money.
Joseph Ovologbarho, 22
“I am a plumber from Delta State. Some months ago, Emmanuel came to my
house in Delta and said I should assist him with people to rob his uncle
in Lagos. So I arranged with two of my friends, Innocent Ibe and Victor
Ezenwa who also participated in the operation. We got the guns from
Oyoma Akbojiyouwi, when I went to purchase bullets from him. The gun I
am holding is for my grandfather, he is the eldest man in my community
so, he uses the gun for protection. I got involved in the operation
because Emmanuel promised to give me large amount of money after the
operation. I never knew he went to prison. We came to Lagos in the month
of July and we carried out the operation on July 18, 2014. These local
guns were found in his house when we took SARS operatives to the place.”
Victor Ezenwa, 22
“ I am from Imo state, I am a professional painter, and my friend
brought us to Lagos to rob his uncle. He paid our transport from Delta
State and when we came, he lodged us in a hotel in Volks along Badagry
express way. We spent a day in the hotel before we went for the
operation. He told me that his uncle is very wealthy and that he keeps a
lot of cash, including foreign notes in the house. He promised to give
me a lot of cash to start up my business. That was why I agreed to
participate in the operation. I regret participating in this operation. I
will never rob in my life again. “
Innocent Ibe
I am from Imo State, but I reside in Delta State. My friend Joseph
brought me into this operation; they informed me that his uncle had a
lot of foreign currency kept in his house. He told me that we are not
using gun, that all we needed to do was to follow him to the house.
Emmanuel promised to reward us handsomely after the operation but
unfortunately we were arrested.”
Oyoma Akbojiyouwi 3
“ I am the youth leader in my community in Delta State and we use these
locally made guns for security purposes. When we arrest suspects, we
hand them over to the vigilante group and they will then hand them over
to the police. Some months back, Joseph, a member of the vigilante came
to me with their vehicle to get bullets to go on patrol. So, I gave him
and he went away. Last week, SARS operatives came to my father’s house
in Delta State and arrested me for selling bullets to Joseph. According
to police sources, they brought a pump action for the robbery operation
in Lagos. We got to my uncle’s house at about 7pm for the operation.
Unfortunately, innocent was caught while we were attempting to break
into the building, the rest of us fled but were later arrested. Emmanuel
and the other members escaped back to Delta State but were traced and
arrested.