4 Chadians arrested over robbery, rape

Police detectives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Command have arrested four Chadians over robberies along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway.

The four Chadians, who are security guards attached to one of the estates in the area, were said to have also raped female victims after dispossessing them of cash and other valuables.

Four automatic pump action rifles, one locally made pistol, cutlasses and charms were among items recovered from the suspects. The suspects, who were identified as Jamal Nasiru, Ahmed Mohammed, Umaru Abubakar and Sale Abubakar are currently detained in SARS cell.

In his confessional statement, one of the suspects, Jamal Nasiru, said he went into robbery after the leader of the gang convinced him that there was a lot of money to be made from the “business”.

“We are paid N15,000 every month as security men but it was not enough to take care of our needs. We were trying to think of other things to do to make more money when our gang leader one Mustapha, who is presently at large told us how lucrative armed robbery can be and convinced us to form a gang. That is what we were doing until we were arrested,” he said.

Confirming the arrest, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, said he received intelligence report from members of the public on the activities of an armed robbery gang “who do not only terrorize residents of Magodo, Omole and other estates around, but also maim their victims”.

Manko, who said the same gang operated on the Lagos/ Ibadan expressway, added that the suspects place dangerous obstacles on the highway to puncture tyres of unsuspecting motorists before robbing them.

“The team led by the officer in charge of SARS, Abba Kiyarri, carried out an investigation, during which the receiver of stolen goods was arrested. The said buyer took the team to Omole estate and Kara cattle market in Ogun State, where the other suspects were arrested. The four Chadians have confessed to the crime”, he said.

Manko, who said several laptops robbed from Magodo residents were recovered, added that three members of the gang are still at large and efforts are on to arrest them.