by Anike Jacobs
An eight man trans-border robbery gang, known for robbery operations in Benin Republic, Mali, among other countries within West Africa, and headed by a 59 year old man, have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command.
The members include, Chineye David, 29; Uchenna Eze, 35; Victor Anamalechi, 45; Ifeanacho Igwe, 35; Desmond Obinna, 32, and Nnamdi John, 42.
Their most recent operation was carried out in a bank in Porto Novo, Benin Republic, where over N100 million was carted away.
The Lagos State Police Commissioner, Kayode Aderanti, who announced their arrest to journalists, stated that two AK-47 rifles, 11 AK-47 loaded magazines, a Toyota Sienna bus, which has an inbuilt compartment where weapons are kept were recovered from them.
He said:
“On December 15, 2014, at about 11:30p.m., I received information about some deadly trans-border armed robbers in Iba, Festac and Igando areas and immediately directed the Officer in-Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Abba Kyari, to go after them.
“Thereafter, two SARS decoy teams, led by Kyari, stormed the robbers’ hideout at Victory Estate, Iba, along Lasu-Igando Road.
“The suspects confessed to several robberies, including a bank robbery in Porto Novo, Benin Republic; a filling station and a bureau de change in Mali; attempted robbery of UBA Shagamu Road, Ikorodu; several robberies in Port Harcourt and Kano.
“The biggest of them all is the N100 million successful robbery at Alakija area of Lagos, from which John built a mansion at Igando area of Lagos. Igwe also built a duplex in his village in Onicha council of Ebonyi State.”
Parading the suspects before newsmen, suspected leader of the gang, John, a trader at the popular Alaba International Market, narrated how the Porto Novo, Benin Republic bank operation was carried out.
“We went to Benin Republic in our operational space bus at night, after receiving information from one of our members, Onyema.
“We entered through the back and tied the two security guards that were asleep with strings. Thereafter, we located the vault and collected as much money as we could lay our hands on before leaving the place.
We did not kill anybody. At the end of the operation, I got N7 million; Victor got N7 million; Onyeka, N3 million; Igwe, N3 million. I used part of my share to buy a Toyota Corolla car and invested the remaining in my music instrument business.
“I have participated in several robberies since I joined the gang in 2011. In one of the operations at a filling station in Mali, I got N18 million. I handled one of the guns, but have not killed anyone.
We do not shoot during operations outside the country because police do not patrol at night,” he concluded.
