11th March, 2014
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
Ogun State Police Command Tuesday paraded 39 suspected kidnappers, robbers, and cult members.
One of the suspects who claimed to be a cleric was identified as Revd. Ndubuisi Ignatius.
The suspects were paraded by the State Commissioner of Police,Ikemefuna Okoye, at the State Police Command Headquarters, Eleweran,Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
According to Okoye, Revd. Ignatius who allegedly posed as the spiritual father to the family of James Nwosu in Agbara area of Ogun State, southwest Nigeria, turned round to rob members of the family of N3.7 million at gunpoint recently.
Ignatius also allegedly snatched other items including two expensive handsets, which he later returned, pretending that he collected them back from the robbers.
Luck later ran out on him as he was arrested by the police and after interrogaton, he confessed to participating in the robbery attack on Nwosu’s family.
Okoye further told journalists that the suspect wore a mask while robbing the victims but was later arrested through the victim’s phones he went away with.
He was said to have demanded from the family another N1 million, claiming to have spiritual powers to apprehend other members of his gang.
The police boss disclosed that N3.1 million has been recovered from Ignatius, adding that the suspect will soon appear in court.
Okoye also revealed that twelve other suspects were arrested for robbery attacks across the state between February and this month.
According to him, “eight suspects who specialised in robbing Bureau de Change were arrested at Iyana Ilogbo area of Ifo in Ifo Local Government Area of the state by a team of Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the command led by Inspector David Akingbade.”
Suspected leader of the robbery gang, Audu Rabiu, who is a son to the Chairman of Bureau de Change operators in the area, confessed to the crime and told our correspondent that his gang had only succeeded in four operations during which 25.6 million Cefas was snatched from their victims.
One Pump Action gun, one cut-to-size double barrelled gun, two double barrelled pistols and 25 live cartridges were among items recovered from them.
Two other suspects, John Enajamo and Blessing Gonume, both residents of Festac Town, Lagos, who allegedly specialised in robbing bank customers, were also paraded by the police.
The suspects were arrested by policemen from Agabara division of the Command after they had allegedly snatched N650,000 from Obanla Isiaka.
The suspects, after interogation, according to Okoye, confessed to the crime and their confession led to the arrest of another member of the gang identified as Stanley Odimoku, while another suspect, identified as Aliu, is at large and his name is on the wanted list of the police.
Seventeen suspected cult members, all in their late 20s, were also arrested from Iperu-Remo in Ikenne Local Government area of Ogun State.
A locally made gun and two axes were recovered from them.
The suspected leader of the cult group, Ogungbe Adeleke, confessed to being a member of a cult group known as Eiye Confraternity.
He explained that they joined the cult group for self protection.
The Police Commissioner warned criminals to leave the state as there is no room for them to operate in Ogun.
Okoye said all the suspects will be taken to court as soon as the police conclude their investigations.