11th October, 2014
Cyriacus Izuekwe
A 19-year old Chadian citizen and cross-border armed robbery suspect, Jamal Nasiru, arrested by the men of the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery (SARS) has confessed that he normally drinks cow blood for spiritual powers before he embarks on any robbery operation in Lagos State Western Nigeria.
Nasiru was arrested after his normal cow blood ritual failed him and his gang during an operation. He was subsequently arrested by the police along with him, Abubakar Sala, Ahmed Mohammed, Umaru Abubakar while their leader Mohammed Abubakar who was reportedly killed during gun battle with police.
According to Nasiru, “I drink raw cow blood which enhances my morale and gives me confidence and spiritual power, any time I want to go for any robbery operation.”
He said he was surprise why he did not escape on the day they were arrested and would not tell how many people he had killed during his operations. He explained that those who were killed, are those who tried to be stubborn and uncooperative to their directives.
On how he came to Nigeria, Nasiru said he came to Nigeria through a popular Islamic scholar who employed him as night guard. He said he worked for him for several months but was not paid his salary so he decided to find another means of survival.
He said what came to his mind was robbery and he did not waste time to contact his friend, Umaru Abubaka who introduced him to other members of the gang who initiated him.
He said initially Abubakar, did not tell him the nature of the work, but he knew he was a criminal. “One day, he asked me to follow him to Kara market in Ogun state where I realized that he was into armed robbery business,” Nasiru said.
He said since then, he became active and was involved in several robbery operation within Lagos and Ogun states axis.
The suspects were arrested by SARS after the killing of a security guard on 11 May 2014 at No.7 Jamiu Olotu Street, Isheri Magodo area, Lagos.
Nasiru confessed, that the late chief Security officer (CSO) of the Omole Estate was their gang leader who recruited and provided them with arms for their robbery operations.
He said they usually operated on Lagos-Ibadan Express way, where they robbed innocent travellers and snatched expensive cars at gunpoint from their owners. The cars, he said, were taken across the border to sell.
He explained that since he was recruited, into the robbery gang he had snatched over seven Toyota Camry cars, and sold them at a give away prices. According to the suspect, each Camry cars, depending on the Model, sells between N 350, 000 and N650, 000, and Highlander saloon jeep sold for N550, 000 and N 700, 000.
He also confessed that he normally looked out for clean Toyota Camry cars, especially on the high ways, or those ones parked at the Supermarkets and snatched them at gun point because Toyota Camry cars sells like “Pure water” across the border.
He confessed that another way by they entered into Nigeria was through transporting cows. The cows, he said, were sold at Kara Market where his gang would meet afterwards.
He said sometimes in the night their gang leader, would hire a bus for operation, noting that, with their dangerous weapon from his armoury at Omole Estate it was easy for them to operate. He noted that they shared the loot and returned their weapons to their leader at the estate.
He said their mode of Operation, is lectured by the gang leader, who normally gives them guns to rob and warned them not to make any mistake.
The police recovered some of the dangerous weapons which they use for operation which includes three Ak.47 riffles, 5 pump action among others.
Police sources said the suspects will be charged to court after conclusion of investigation. They blamed their involvement in robbery business on lack of parental care when growing up.