22nd December, 2010
By Paul Iyoghojie
For allegedly robbing residents of their valuables and breaking into a supermarket to steal money, handsets and a bulk of recharge cards while armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, an Ebute Metta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, has ordered four suspects to be remanded in the Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
The suspects identified as Samson Opeyemi alias Aloma, 23, Ifeanyi Udensi, alias Nice, 25, Benson Onakpoma, 24, and Solomon Amos, 21, were remanded in the prison for an eight- count charge of felony to commit armed robbery. The offences which are contrary to section 5 (b) and punishable under section 1 (2) (a ) 398, 390 of the Robbery and Fire Arms special Provisions Vol. XX11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 as amended and Section 28 (1) (b) (1) of the Fire Arms, Cap. 146.
The Lagos State anti-robbery team alleged that on 28 October, 2010, the deadly robbers invaded residents at No. 10A, Olorunisola Street, Awodiora, Ajegunle, Apapa, Lagos to rob the tenants of money, handsets and other valuables at about 23 hours room by room.
Nemesis, however, caught up with them on 30 October, 2010 when they invaded Jaymart supermarket at 91, Ogunlana Drive, Surulere, Lagos, armed with guns, to steal N40,000 and a bulk of recharge cards worth N60,000.
During the operation, the anti-robbery team received a distress call and moved to the scene, during which two of the robbers were shot dead, three escape, while one was arrested.
During interrogation, the arrested robber, Opeyemi confessed and led the police to their hideout at Ajegunle, where the three others were later arrested.
Items recovered from them include one locally made pistol and one English made pistol with cartridges.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges but the presiding magistrate, Mr. Bolarinwa SMI, did not accept their plea. He ordered them to be remanded in prison custody.
The case has been adjourned for trial.
