Police Parade Trans-Border Robbery Suspects, Armourer

pmnews-placeholder

The police in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, today paraded six robbery suspects, including Emmanuel Tochukwu Nweke, 31, alleged to be the armourer of the armed bandits who terrorised Lagos on 9 September, 2012 now referred to as ‘Black Sunday.’

Other suspects involved in the attack are Nonso Ndubuisi, 26; Akindele Akinyemi, 30; Emmanuel Ehianeta, a.k.a. Arab, 27; Segun Runsewe, 39 and Isiaka Lawal, 55.

Briefing journalists at the state police command, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, said the alleged armourer was arrested at a hotel in Asaba, Delta State, Southsouth Nigeria, on 7 November, 2012.

Manko said when operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, from Ikeja searched the boot of his Mercedes Benz car with Enugu State registration number BA 307 ENU, two AK47 rifles, 750 rounds of 7.6 live ammunition and 14 AK 47 rifle magazines were found.

The Lagos Police boss explained that Tochukwu was arrested at Asaba alongside Nonso Ndubuisi.

He said four of the suspects who participated actively in the ‘Black Sunday’ robbery attacks were arrested in Benin Republic, where Nonso Ndubuisi was based and was receiving arms and ammunition from Tochukwu.

Related News

During their arrest, the four suspects had in their possession 14 AK47 rifles, one general purpose machine gun, GPMG, 111 AK rifle magazine, 5,922 rounds of 7.6 AK47 live ammunition, four GPMP with 400 rounds of live ammunition and 219 unloaded live ammunition and 180 9mm live ammunition.

In their confessional statements to the police, the suspects, according to a source, said apart from the ‘Black Sunday’ robbery, they participated in series of bank robberies in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Kwara, Ekiti, Edo and Kogi states.

Their alleged armourer, Tochukwu, confessed that one Alhaji Zulo, a Republic of Benin resident, was a major supplier of arms and ammunition to the gang. He said he hid the arms and ammunition in sacks of onions and moved them to Lagos from Cotonou. The suspect also said he sold one AK47 rifle for 300,000 Cefa, while a double barrel gun was sold for 15 Cefa. Manko also told journalists that Tochukwu confessed selling arms and ammunition to other suspects who are still on the run and are being trailed by the police.

He disclosed that investigations into the activities of the suspected robbers was ongoing.

—Ayodele Lawal & Ayodeji Dedeigbo

Load more