Two armed robbery suspects of a seven-man gang have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command.
The suspects, Saheed Amoo and Taju Rasheed who claimed musicians showered them praises at parties were arrested by operatives of the command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad after a tip-off.
Punch gathered that the suspects – Amoo and Rasheed, during one of their operations at a hotel and a restaurant near the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, they were arrested by the police.
This led to a gun battle between the robbery gang who were armed with guns and the police.
However, the police arrested four members of the gang. One of the suspect, Amoo who was arrested during the shootout led the police to Rasheed’s residence, and identified him as a member of the gang.
28-year-old Amoo from Ilorin, Kwara State who spoke with Punch said he and the gang spends the proceeds of robbery on musicians who sing their praises saying:
“My nickname is Argentina. People call me Argentina because I support the country at football competitions. We started robbery in 2009. We robbed in places such as Obalende, Ajah, Osborne Road, and Ikoyi. We used guns in our operations, but I don’t know where they got the guns from.
“We usually snatched vehicles. We once snatched a Honda CRV and it was sold for N350,000. I was given N45,000. We also snatched Volkswagen Golf at another operation. We have gone on many operations this year.
“I spend my money on musicians because I go to clubs. Other members do too. So, musicians sing for us during parties.”
Meanwhile 27-year-old Rasheed who hails from Oyo Town in Oyo State confessed that he was the driver of the gang while adding that he for each operation he made N30,000.
“They call me pilot because I drive the gang. I was actually a commercial driver before. I met the gang in Isolo, Lagos. My wife does not know I rob, she thinks I still work with the road transport union.
“On each of the operations, I made about N30,000. I used the money to keep my family moving. I also go clubbing. I was not arrested at the shootout in Ikeja, I was arrested in my house.”
The Police has said items like two daggers, two locally made pistols, and fully loaded magazines of AK-47 rifles were recovered from the armed robbers.
