Why we killed policeman, took his rifle —Robbery suspects

THEY gave their names as Adams Yinus, Lukmon Raheem, Ojo Adewale and Surajudeen Dauda. They were a merciless gang who liked to leave a trail of blood after their deadly operations, even when their victims did not put up any form of resistance.

Policemen also became their targets in their bid to add to the number of arms in their armoury. But like a thief who stole the king’s trumpet and had no place to blow it, the gang soon met their waterloo as they were picked, one after the other, by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ibadan in Oyo state Police Command, led by their officer-in-charge, Eneji Michael.

At a press briefing on Monday, November 24, 2014 at the police headquarters at Eleyele, Ibadan, the police spokesperson, Olabisi Okuwobi-Ilobanafor, who represented the Commissioner of Police, Kola Shodipo, disclosed that the gang went to Iwo Road area of Ibadan on September 25 and snatched a car, after which they headed towards Agugu area.
On sighting a policeman with an AK 47 rifle at his duty post, the suspects opened fire on him with two guns at the same time and took away his rifle after he fell. They also snatched a Honda Accord car about a week after.

Not yet done, the PPRO said, the gang invaded an agric company at Challenge area on October 9 at about 4.50 p.m. with the AK 47 rifle and other guns, firing indiscriminately into the premises. Not only was a teenage food vendor caught in the thigh, the owner of the company was not spared as he was shot in the legs while another staff lost one of his eyes hit by bullet. Six others were also injured, as the armed robbers dispossessed both staff and clients of their money, jewelry and handsets.
In their bid to escape, the armed robbers were reported to have shot two passersby. Twenty four expended AK 47 ammunition and one empty cartridge shell were picked at the scene by the police when they got to the scene, it was further learnt.

“The result-oriented SARS operatives embarked on a painstaking investigation of the case, leading to the arrest of the suspected armed robbers on November 4. On their arrest, they jointly confessed and admitted that they killed the police sergeant at Agugu to possess his AK 47 rifle,” she added.
Exhibits recovered from them include one AK 47 rifle with number 23404, one pump action rifle with number R330771, one cut-to-size double barrel gun, one locally-made cut-to-size single barrel gun, one stainless Raven arms F.S pistol model P-25 with number 35/800, two AK 47 magazines, 14 live ammunition, five live cartridges, assorted charms and one Nissan Micra car with registration number AKD 358 SM, among others.
In an interview, the suspects opened up to Crime Reports on how they carried out their operations before they were caught. Below are their confessions:

Adams Yinus (22)
I was invited by some guys to join them in robbery in 2013. Specifically, it was one John who introduced me to robbery. We met at the hemp joint of one Alhaji Aliu a.k.a. Gbakoje at Oranyan area of Ibadan.

I was at the joint one day to smoke hemp when Alhaji Aliu introduced us to each other. Alhaji was the one who gave my number to one of the gang members, Lukman. I was taught how to shoot by John. Aliu used to hire arms out to armed robbers. He also used to work as an armourer to armed robbers. I have gone on two operations with the gang. We snatched cars on the two occasions.
I started with them by using okada to go to shops to rob traders. After some time, I decided to stop and start my business. I told John and he tagged me as a police informant. In October this year, Lukman called me and said someone gave him my number.

We started working together and we have been to two operations.  We did one at Iwo Road area. We were four with two okada riders, making six of us. We followed a man at Iwo Road and blocked his Toyota Corolla car with the bikes. It was around 2p.m. We had three guns. Lukman, Wale and I held the guns.

How we killed police
We were coming from a robbery operation in which we snatched a car. As we passed through a street, we saw policemen. The three of us fired at the policemen and one of them was hit. He fell down and one of us, Lukman, got down and picked his AK 47 rifle. The gun has been recovered from Alhaji Aliu in whose custody we kept it. We took the car to one Prince, our receiver. We were paid N400,000 for it and I got N80,000 as my own share.”

We also went to an agricultural products company at Challenge area. We were given information about the place by Lukman. We got there and asked for money. When they did not respond in time, we started shooting. We learnt many people were injured.

Lukmon Raheem (24)
I am from Kogi state. I went to prison in 2010 and came out in August 2014. What took me to prison was that one Azeez invited me for bag snatching and we were caught. We were brought to SARS and charged to court. We were remanded in prison but after four years, the judge struck the case out because the complainant said she was no longer interested in the case.
I met Yinus in September at Alhaji Aliu’s hemp joint. I told Alhaji that I needed money to start my business again and he promised to link me with Yinus, saying that I should be able to save enough after two operations. When I spoke with Yinus, he suggested car snatching and one other member, Akin, called a receiver known as Prince.

Prince asked us to get him a Toyota Corolla car and this was prompted our trailing our victim at Iwo road. As we were going with the car along a street, we saw two policemen and as they made to get up, Wale and Yinus shot at them. I was the one who picked the policeman’s gun after he fell.
Three weeks after, we went to the poultry company with the gun to rob. We got phones and jewelry. We sold to one guy popularly called Oba Sabo. He stays in Sabo, Ibadan. We sold the handsets for N120,000 and I was given N25,000. I got N80,000 from the car.
I am asking for God’s mercy. I don’t understand why I was doing all I did. I promised not to do such again if let off the hook.

Ojo Adewale (39)
I was into fish farming until I was introduced to Yinus by Alhaji Aliu at his hemp joint which I used to patronize. We snatched a Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. I joined my share to my savings and used it to buy a Nissan Micra car for commercial purpose. We had stopped working then. I went to Alhaji Aliu’s place to smoke and he called in the police to arrest me. I had already repented then.

Surajudeen Dauda (25)
I was a mechanic but also worked as okada rider and taxi driver. I am married with two kids. Wale introduced me to Yinus’ gang. We worked together to snatch cars.

Source: Tribune

Bomb blasts kill 200 in Kano Central Mosque

The orgy of violence in the Northern part of the country by gunmen, suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents, continued yesterday, with the killing of over 200 Muslim worshippers, who were sent to their grave by a triple blast that rocked Kano Central Mosque, where the Emir of Kano normally leads prayers.

Saturday Vanguard gathered from eyewitness account that the two Improvised Explosive Device inside the mosque and one outside the mosque exploded simultaneously at the point worshippers had congregated for the Friday Jumat prayers.
According to the source, who was close to the Mosque, the deafening sound triggered pandemonium and stampede within and around the mosque.

“I personally counted 70 lifeless bodies inside the mosque and over 150 bodies were recovered from outside. The most painful aspect of the development was that most of the victims were children,” the eyewitness, who did not give his name told Saturday Vanguard.
Another source familiar with the history of the Mosque, said that there had been two previous attempts on the life of the former Emir near another Mosque that is about six kilometres away from the scene of yesterday’s attack but wondered why nothing was done by the security agents to address the threat.

The eyewitness said that many children who accompanied their guardians to the mosque were trampled during the ensuing confusion.
It was learned that there was sporadic gunshots after the blast, while several worshippers fleeing the scene were felled by stray bullets.
The Friday blasts triggered riot in the city as people in major markets hurriedly locked their shops to ward off looting in the volatile city that has enjoyed peace after it came under attack by Boko Haram on January 20, 2012.

Ambulances were seen conveying bodies and the injured to the three major hospitals in the city, while most of the mortuaries were filled to capacity at press time.
The cases of the injured rushed to hospitals were complicated by the strike embarked upon by health workers in the city over unpaid allowances and sundry issues with Federal Government.
However,  a security officer who preferred anonymity told Saturday Vanguard that, “The morgues are filled to capacity and we have counted many bodies so far.”
The security officer who claimed to have participated in the rescue operation, added that most of the victims were children.

It could not be ascertained at press time whether the attacks were aimed at the Emir of Kano, who had recently called on the people to take steps to defend themselves against Boko Haram.
A source close to the Emir, said that the influential Muslim and traditional ruler had travelled to Saudi Arabia via Paris for undisclosed reasons and was not at the Mosque at the time of the attack.
The acting state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Mustapha Abubakar could not confirm the casualty figure, when contacted, but said “We are still taking stock and official figure will be made available soon as it is ready.”

He added, “We have restored order in the city.”
The Kano blasts, which were one in a series to hit the ancient city came barely two days after two female suicide bombers hit Maiduguri killing more than 70 people and injuring others.
Boko Haram, which is trying to Islamise Nigeria, has so far killed no fewer than 2000 since it launched its murderous campaign in 2009.
I don’t know how I survived — Chief Imam of Masalacin
The Chief Imam of Masalacin Nakuka of Naibawa quarters, Alarama Muhammadu Inuwa, yesterday, shortly after the blasts, narrated how he survived the triple explosions that ripped through the Kano central mosque.

Inuwa who survived the blast alongside his 32 – year old son, Ahmad Inuwa, said “Allah is alive. What I witnessed today (yesterday) was a journey through the valley of hell.”.
The septuagenarian added “For two years I have not set my foot on this mosque. I was compelled by certain exigencies bothering on Islamic knowledge to come here, which brought me closer to death.

“We were set for the prayers when we had the first, it was accompanied with sporadic gunshot and the ensuing confusion triggered wailing among worshipers, who ran in different directions for safety.
“I saw lifeless bodies as I fled the scene. I saw blind beggars running for safety. I saw the old and the young being trampled, and I saw people crying as if the end of the world has come. Indeed, it was an unpleasant experience. “How I escaped is still a mystery to me as my son I were involved in the race for life.

Source: Vanguard

Boko Haram kills 5 soldiers, 30 hunters in roadside bombing

Yola— No fewer than 35 people, including five military personnel and a local hunter, were said to have been killed by a bomb explosion yesterday morning around Mararaba-Mubi area of Adamawa State.

An eyewitness told newsmen in Yola, the state capital, that a combined team of the military and hunters were on routine patrol of the area following their successful recapture of Mubi town when the bomb planted by the insurgents exploded, killing 35 of them instantly.
According to the eyewitness, the scene of the blast was a busy area where people gathered to transact business, adding that the explosive might have been planted there overnight while it went off in the morning as people gathered there.

The eyewitness, who spoke to newsmen on phone, said the military had converted the venue of the blast to a checkpoint, since people were always at the spot in large numbers.
According to him, “my house is some metres from the scene of the incident. I stood outside my compound watching the suburb and all of a sudden, I heard a loud bang which shook the entire surroundings. The few people who were returning to the area started running away and the area was immediately cordoned off by the military.”

The explosion prompted the military authorities to declare the area “a no go place” and advised returning villagers and passers-by to be extra cautious along the routes.
The authorities also cautioned the people to be wary of strange objects and polythene bags within their reach, advising that they might be explosives fashioned out to look attractive for unsuspecting victims.

Meanwhile, hundreds of local hunters keeping vigil with the military in the recovered areas of Adamawa State have vowed to ensure that the sect members are completely chased out
The hunters, who were returning to the recaptured areas of Mubi and its environs, told newsmen, yesterday, in Yola that their major pre-occupation now was to ensure that the area is completely secured for the inhabitants to return to their homes.

The leader of the hunters, Young Moris, pledged that they will do everything to ensure that Michika and Madagali are equally rid of the insurgents very soon.
Source:Vanguard