Four suspected members of the gang that attacked two commercial banks in Ikorodu, Lagos State, relived yesterday their bloody exploits, claiming responsibility for other bank robberies.
Monday Omoboye, 39, aka Alarm Blow; Bright Agbojule, 25, Monday Ikuesan, 37, and Promise Abiwa, 20, were paraded by Police Commissioner (CP) Kayode Aderanti.
Their arrests came after soldiers intercepted one of the gang members who had mint notes with bank seals on them.
Following a tip-off by the soldiers in Ondo State to the Lagos CP, the four suspects were rounded up. Two Lexus Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and an Infiniti SUV with registration numbers KRD29DA, 642DQ and EKY641DB were recovered from them.
The suspects claimed that their 18-man gang, aside raiding the banks in Lekki, Ijede and Ebute (both in Ikorodu), also engaged in pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering.
Giving an account on the operation, Agbojole, who said they were boys in the gang, told reporters that their leaders were Million and Kakado.
Agbojole claimed that he was contacted a week to the operation, adding that he joined because of poverty.
According to Agbojole, he was a timber worker at Ebute-Metta before joining the group.
Asked about the woman, was who was said to have led the gang, Agbojole said: “There was no woman in the group. Our leaders are Million and Kakado.
“We planned the operation from Ishawo creeks. Million and his men came to us and told us about the operation. Million brought guys from Warri.
“It was from the creeks that we planned the whole thing and this is my first operation with them. I was among those who kept watch along the road. I was given a Pump Action gun. We had eight guns and two Pump Action rifles.
“I am a student of College of Education, Ekiadolor. I did not follow them to Lekki or any other robbery but I know it was the gang that attacked those banks.
“We left very early for the Ikorodu operation and it was some of Million’s boys who went into the police station; I did not go with them.
“Million and Kakado brought the dynamite used to open the bank doors and the guns. They were the ones who also taught us how to use the guns.
“I do not know how much was gotten because it was the leaders who counted and shared the money. My share was N2million from where I bought a Lexus jeep for N1. 5million; I bought jerry can for my brother to start oil bunkering; gave my wife N30, 000 for her JAMB exam and also gave my friends money.
“I was arrested in Ikorodu, where I live. My friend Akpan called me and I didn’t know that it was because the police were looking for me.”
Omoboye, a boat operator, said he usually ferried the gang for their operations.
He confessed that he had participated in all the robberies, adding that he received N400,000 for the Lekki robbery, N400,000 for Ijede and N2million for the Ogolonto attack, totalling N2.8m.
He said the group usually lodged close to their targets, noting that for the Lekki attack, they camped in Epe.
“We went to Epe area and lodged there. I was the boat operator and I drove them in all the operations. I don’t usually leave the boat and one or two men are left to stay with me because the gang will contact them and they will alert me when it’s time to move.
“I was contacted about one month after the Lekki operation and informed of the Ijede attack, I got N400,000 each from Lekki and Ijede. But for the Ebute business, I was given N2million.
“I was not the one they called on the telephone. It was one of their men before we rode to the jetty side to carry them. My boat is a fibre boat. I usually take them to the creeks in Ishawo but they don’t allow us close to where they share money.
“Our business in the Creek is illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism and armed robbery. I took part in all the robberies because I was their boat operator.
“Yes I am married with five children but my wife does not know what I do,” he said.
Ikuesan, another boat operator, said his only role was ferrying the hoodlums after their boat broke down when they robbed the banks in Lekki.
He claimed that he operated a gun boat, whose owner contacted him to carry the armed robbers when their boat broke down in February.
“I am not a member of the group but I know I have carried them once. I was contacted by the owner of the gun boat to carry them because their boat broke down in the water.
“The owner was given N400,000 but he gave me N180, 000 and Baba Ibeji added N10,000, making N190, 000. I have never followed them for any operation.”
Briefing reporters, Aderanti said: ”So, on June 26, one of the armed robbers, Promise Abiwe, was traced to Igbokoda in Ondo State where he was arrested.
“On June 28, one of the key members of the gang Monday Omoboye (aka Alarm Blow) was arrested in his hideout in Ikorodu.
“The said Monday is the boat operator who drove their speedboats in both the Lekki on June 1 and the robberies on June 24.
“On June 29, at about 4pm, one Agbojule Bright was traced to another hideout and was arrested with the Lexus Jeep, which he bought from his own share of the loot.
“These armed robbers have confessed to various armed robbery attacks both on water and highways across the country. Further investigations geared towards arresting the remnants of the gang is in progress.”
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