19th May, 2011
Three armed robbers have been shot dead at Ogere, Ogun state, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The robbers, who were part of an eight-man gang had blocked the highway at about 2am on Tuesday and dispossessed motorists of cash, laptops, phones and other valuable items.
Police detectives attached to the Ogun state Police Command, who were at the time heading for Lagos ran into the robbers and during a gun battle, three of the robbers were killed while one was arrested with injuries sustained from gunshots.
Items recovered include four AK-47 rifles and three bulletproof vests.
In a confessional statement to the police, the suspect, who gave his name as Gideon Okpara, said: “I am from Onitsha, married and I have children but my wife has left me.
“I was living in Kebbi when my friend, James, came visiting me six months ago. I narrated my problem to him and he convinced me to join their gang to raise money for myself and since then I have been faring well. I now wear good clothes, shoes and I am able to send money to my children and my wife who left me. She had started begging me to forgive her because she has seen money with me.
“I have been able to buy one plot of land in Surulere, Lagos and another plot in Monatan, Ibadan.†He said the gang always stayed in hotels in Ibadan after every operation.
The police said they are on the trail of the fleeing suspects.
Meanwhile, the police in Osun have arrested five robbery suspects and recovered four stolen vehicles.
The Police Commissioner in the state, Mr. Olusegun Solomon, told newsmen on Wednesday in Osogbo that the suspects were arrested in connection with theft of cars.
“At Testing Ground in Osogbo at about 7pm., a man was reportedly attacked on his way from Oyen village when his BMW car marked GY 605 GNN had a flat tyre,†he said.
He said as the victim was trying to fix the flat tyre, some hoodlums emerged from the bush and ordered him and his wife to surrender their belongings.
“The complainant was severely attacked with machete while his daughter aged three years was taken away by the robbers and was not returned until the following day,†he said.
Solomon said the hoodlums also hit the complainant’s wife with their motorcycle and she sustained serious fracture on one of her legs.
The commissioner said the recovered vehicles include one Toyota Avalon car, two Honda Accord cars and one Honda Civic car.
While assuring residents of the state of their safety, the commissioner said the suspects would soon be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.
—Oluwole Adeboye