Four in police net for stealing phones worth N1.5m

The police in Lagos have arrested four members of a 10-man robbery gang, which specialised in burgling and looting shop within Alaba International Market and its environ. The suspects identified as Azuka, aged 27; Onyenge e, 35; Arinze, 22; and Afolabi, 21 were arrested while the leader one Friday and five others are currently at large.

It was learned that two members of the gang, Arinze and Afolabi were apprehended at the scene of the operation on November, 20, at Alaba International Market, Ojo in Lagos, while two others were arrested during the course of investigation.

Vanguard gathered that but for the timely intervention of operatives of Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, at the scene, the 10-man robbery gang led by one Friday, would have unleashed terror on the traders. The fleeing members of the gang were said to have made away with about 70 smart phones and ipads worth N1.5 million using locally made pistols. Vanguard gathered that investigation is on-going to apprehend the other members of the gang as well as their receivers.

Suspects account

Confessing to burgling and looting shops, the four suspects however denied using weapons during the operations.

Azuka said “We were 10 that went to Alaba International market to see the Chairman of Alaba international Market in Ojo (names withheld). We heard he was coming to the market, so we decided to pay his a courtesy visit because each time he comes around; he gives us money which we share among ourselves. 

After waiting several hours and the chairman didn’t show up, Friday, our leader decided that we burgle shops and loot their wares. All we did was to threaten the traders to enable us loot their shops, we weren’t armed.

“Everything was the idea of our leader, Friday. He is a very popular person in the area. When we got there, we broke the show-glass used to display phones in one of the shops while the operation was still on, two of our members were caught.

“I don’t have a job. What I do to earn a living is to direct prospective customers to traders shop; after buying, the traders pay me stipends as commission.”

The second suspect, who identified himself as Onyenge, said “I am a footballer in Okoko. I was arrested because I was among the guys that looted a phone dealer’s shop in Alaba International Market.

”Usually we go to such phone dealers who specialise in selling stolen phones to settle us. We attacked the phone dealers when they refused to settle us. But we only took 10 phones, while we were still carrying out the operations, we saw operatives Special Anti Robbery Squad, so I escaped with the seven others while they succeeded in apprehending two. I was traced and arrested through the first two guys that were nabbed.”