Ogun state Police Command on Wednesday paraded two Beninoise, two siblings and four others suspected to be members of a trans-border robbery syndicate operating between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
The suspects, who were described as “dreaded and deadly” by the state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, were allegedly responsible for armed robbery and kidnapping in many states in Nigeria.
They are two Beninoise – Dele Obey and Bayo Quaheed, two siblings – Tobi Adeosun and Yetunde Adeosun (a female). Others are, Olalekan Olawale, Danladi Isah, Oluwatosin Abayomi and Abel Womiloju.
Speaking at the parade held at the State Police Headquarters, Eleweran in Abeokuta, Iliyasu said the gang began their operations with snatching of motorcycle before they “graduated” into robbery and dispossession of cars.
According to Iliyasu, Olawale who is the first suspect had been arrested for motorcycle snatching and upon interrogation, he confessed to have stolen the bike and sold it to someone at Ilara in Imeko Afon Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner said Olawale further confessed to be homosexual and that “he used to sleep with two Yahoo boys for N50,000 per night.”
He said the suspect pulled some stunts and started vomiting blood when he was pressurized to disclose other members of his gang, after which he was treated at the hospital and released “on compassionate ground.”
The Commissioner pointed out that Olawale who was freed, later was re-arrested with other suspects in alleged kidnapping and robbery case.
Iliyasu said the suspects confessed to have “committed series of robbery operations, one of which was the dispossession of a serving police officer of his Toyota Corolla car at gun point.”
Two of the gang members were said to have completed jail term in March this year for a robbery crime committed in 2013.
The Commissioner explained that further interrogation revealed that “all the cars they (suspects) robbed in Nigeria were sold to one Papa in the Republic of Benin.”
Some of the exhibits recovered from the suspects are 11 exotic cars, two AK47 riffles with 50 rounds of ammunition, four locally made pistol with 21 live cartridges and one pump action gun with 12 live cartridges.
“The success of this operation is as a result of our determination and resilience in making Ogun State a crime-free state in continuation of Inspector General of Police’s operation criminal and arms and ammunition mop up,” Iliyasu said.
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