I supply arms to robbery gangs, police corporal confesses
A 36-year-old police corporal, Christ Oboko, who was recently arrested for armed robbery, has confessed to have been supplying police arms and ammunition to criminals in Rivers, Lagos, Ogun, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The cop who is also the resident pastor of a church at Choba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State has also been linked to several violent crimes in Bayelsa, Delta, Imo, Lagos and Edo states.
Until his arrest, the suspect was attached to a special squad code named C4I of the Rivers State Police Command.
He was said to have been deployed to C41 from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Rivers State Command, having distinguished himself as a sniper and crack detective.
The suspect, who is currently being detained by the Inspector General of Police’s Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT), was arrested after he allegedly led his gang on a series of operations in some states in the Niger Delta region.
His arrest was sequel to several complaints to the office of the IGP about the notorious activities of the gang.
Upon receipt of the complaints, the immediate past IGP, Solomon Arase, directed the leader of the Special Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, to investigate the matter.
Oboko’s cover was blown when a member of his gang, Johnpaul Amandi, was arrested by Kyari and his boys soon after they relocated to Rivers State.
Daily Trust learnt that Amandi’s confessions aided the police in apprehending Oboko, who until his arrest, lived and operated from his house in the Nigerian Police Barracks, Borokiri.
It was also gathered that the copcom-pastor was arrested along with three members of his gang.
The suspect said: “Aside from supplying members of my gang with police rifles and bullets, I also help keep their guns in my house without the knowledge of my wife and children.”
He also told detectives how he led his gang to snatch about eight vehicles and sold them to one Victor, who is based in Owerri.
Oboko, who hails from Onitsha Ugbo said, “I joined the Nigeria Police Force in April 2003. I served at Borokiri Police Division, from there I went to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS before joining C4I.
“I started car snatching in 2015 when I met Amandi, he was our informant. He lured me into robbery. I was only supplying them with arms. It all started when Amandi brought two vehicles. He gave them to one Victor Nwogu to sell. I met them doing the negotiation and from there, I offered to join them.
“I robbed the driver of a Toyota Camry at D-line area of Port Harcourt and we took the car to Victor in Owerri, I sold the car to victor for N200,000. We were three and I took N70,000 and I gave Amandi and Kelvin the balance to share.
“On the second operation, the three of us went for the job at D-line and we stole three Camry cars from the park. We sold the vehicles to the same Victor in Owerri and he paid us N360,000. I got N150,000 as my share.
“We also snatched a Toyota Corolla, from Elelanwan area at gunpoint from its owner and I took the car to Victor and he paid N250,000. I took N80,000 as my share and I gave the rest to Amandi and Kelvin to share.
“We also snatched a Toyota Spider car at GRA from the owner at gun point and we parked it inside Borokiri sand field. But before we arrived in the morning the car had been removed.
“I was always going to release them whenever they were arrested by the police and I don’t know what came over me. I am the resident pastor of a church at Choba, in Port Harcourt. I don’t know what made me join Amandi in his evil business,” he lamented.
Parading the suspect in Lagos, the out going Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bisi Kolawole, said until his arrest, the suspect and members of his gang were terrorizing Port Harcourt.
She revealed that the gang had for a very long time enjoyed full protection from Oboko, who bailed and defended them whenever they were arrested by the police.
She disclosed that Oboko normally produced fake vehicle documents for each vehicle that was stolen, and that he also altered the vehicle engine and chassis numbers before transporting it to the buyer.