Police Smash 3-Man Robbery Gang

The police in Lagos, southwest Nigeria have smashed a three-man armed robbery gang and arrested two of them while the third escaped with bullet wounds during a gun battle.

The incident occurred at Kaori Pin down point, close to Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Police sources informed P.M.NEWS that the two suspects, who simply identified themselves as Chidi and Thomas, with their fleeing accomplice had earlier snatched a Honda car from a lady at Osborne area of Ikoyi at about 9p.m.

They reportedly drove the car towards the Lagos old toll gate en route to the Eastern part of Nigeria to dispose off the car.

The car, according to the sources, reportedly developed a fault at Ojodu Berger axis of the expressway, and when all their efforts to restart the vehicle proved futile, they abandoned it.

They allegedly hired a taxi from Berger back to Victoria Island to snatch more vehicles when they ran into the policemen from Bar Beach division who were on a stop and search mission. It was gathered that immediately the suspects realised that their game was up, they reportedly jumped out of their vehicle and engaged the police in a gun battle, during which the police shot two and arrested them while the third one managed to escape.

Items recovered from the arrested suspects, according to the sources, include: one brownie pistol, two locally made cut to size double barrel pistols, 13 unexpended cartridges, two blackberry phones, three Nokia phones and one master key which they usually use to steal cars.

During preliminary interrogations, Chidi allegedly told the police that they specialised in snatching exotic cars from their owners or remove them from where they are parked and drive them to Ebonyi state, south east Nigeria to sell.

He also allegedly confessed that they have been operating successfully for the past two years in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state, Anambra and Oyo states. But they had operated twice in Lagos state.

Efforts made to see the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Bar Beach Police Division, CSP Adegoke Fayoade, proved abortive as he was said to have gone to the Lagos State police Command for briefing.

But a police source informed P.M.NEWS that the suspects have been transferred to the Lagos State Police Command for thorough investigation.

—Paul Iyoghojie