Two Bank Robbery Suspects In Police Net

Two men, including a bank security man who participated in the abortive raid of a new generation bank at Trinity, Apapa, Lagos have been arrested by men of the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad, FSARS, Adeniji Adele Road, Lagos Island, southwest Nigeria.

The suspects were members of a 13-man armed gang who raided the bank on 2 October but were dislodged by the police while trying to open the bank’s vault with their welding instruments.

Operatives at FSARS described the arrested security guard, Francis Ajie, as the mastermind of the robbery attempt. The robbery operation, according to FSARS was led by one Adewale Adegun, a.k.a. Papa, a chieftain of the National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW at Boundary area of Ajegunle.

The gang, it was learnt, invaded the bank with welding instruments to open the bank’s vault but their plans were aborted as the FSARS operatives who had earlier received information about their operation swooped on them inside the bank while cutting the vault.

On sighting the police, the security man and others, including their ring leader, Papa, jumped over the bank’s fence and escaped.

But one the suspects, Julius Osai, was arrested inside the ceiling of the bank building.

Items recovered from the fleeing suspects include a sledge hammer, two welding gas cylinders, iron cutter, three drilling machines and other instruments.

The security man, the police claimed, was arrested following information received from the arrested suspect.

In his statement to the police, the security man allegedly admitted recruiting the other suspects.

“I have worked with the bank for six years. We were attached to a firm. Everyday I see millions of naira coming in and out of the bank without anything except my monthly salary.

“One day, I said to myself ‘if I retire today as a security man, what will be my gain?’

“I later discussed my feelings with my friend, Elias who assured me that he would discuss the matter with his boss, Adewale Adegun, a.k.a. Papa.

“Later, Adegun invited me to Ajegunle where I told him that the bank management usually leaves at least N35 million inside the bank vault every weekend. He agreed to rob the bank with his boys and he promised to give me money to start business. We held meetings for about two months before the operation.

“Prior to the operation, Adegun instructed me to duplicate the keys of the bank gate and give him a spare to enable him and his boys gain entrance into the bank premises. I did as instructed.

“On the day of the operation, we all met at Sunshine Bus Stop before they moved inside the bank and I joined them thirty minutes later to direct them to the bank vault.

“While they were using the welding instruments to open the vault, Elias suddenly shouted ‘police’ and we all jumped over the fence.

“I don’t know how the police got wind of the operation. I was arrested when I resumed for work, thinking that the bank management did not know about my participation in the attempted robbery,” he allegedly wrote in his statement to the police.

The second suspect, Julius Osai, in his statement to FSARS operatives allegedly disclosed that he and others were recruited by the NURTW chieftain to rob the bank.

A source at the FSARS revealed that they have launched a manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang while the two suspects in custody would be charged to court on completion of investigation.

— Paul Iyoghojie