Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Lagos has arrested a suspected armed robber who
concealed a locally made gun inside a DVD player. The suspect, Azeez Adebayo, a
native of Ifo in Ogun State was arrested in the course of an undercover
operation by the police. Sunday Sun reports
According to
the police, Adebayo is a member of an armed robbery gang, which normally comes
to Lagos to rob and then return to the neighbouring states. The source
explained how the police were able to crack the case. “We had information that
he is in possession of a locally made gun and that he is a member of a robbery
gang, which usually comes from Ogun State to rob in Lagos and then return to
their base.
“We then
sent an informant after him. When we were convinced that he had a gun and a
gang, we asked him to come with his gang and join us for a robbery operation in
Ikorodu. We got his phone number and then convinced him that we were a big time
armed robbery gang in Lagos.
“He even
volunteered to help us get some people who have AK-47 in Sagamu. Later, when he
couldn’t get them on time, we asked him to bring the one he has and let us go
for the operation. He came with the locally made gun to join us, without
knowing that it was policemen he was discussing with all the while. That was
how he was arrested,” the police source explained.
Adebayo
reportedly travelled to Lagos with the gun inside the disc player without any
problems. The suspect, the police gathered, had been to prison before. Yet,
after his release, he conveniently went back to crime. “He had been to prison
before for armed robbery and conspiracy. So, he is a habitual criminal. He has
made a useful statement which can lead to the arrest of so many people.”
Meanwhile,
speaking with Sunday Sun, Adebayo who said he worked as a ticketer for a
motorcycle riders union in Ogun State claimed that the gun was part of his tools
as a politician. “I am a politician; a member of APC (All Progressives
Congress). We normally use the gun during election. One of my ogas in Ifo, a
member of OPC (Odua People’s Congress) in Ifo gave it to me. I explained to him
that as a politician, I needed something like that. And he said no problem.
That was how he gave it to me. I bought it from him for N10, 000.”
On how he
gets cartridges for the gun, Adebayo swore that he never used cartridges with
the gun. “It is not meant to be used in shooting. We only use it to scare
people. (Ma pa e, ekuro ni bi o). It is just for something like that. It is not
like we want to kill anybody. That is usually during election. I don’t have
even a single cartridge.” The suspect, who admitted that he has been to prison
for conspiracy and armed robbery in 2012; however insisted that he did not go
back to crime. “It is only God that knows my mind. I did not do anything. I am
not using the gun for anything.”
The police
source assured that the case would be charged to court as soon as
investigations were concluded.
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