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
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