29-year David Chineye was among eight
suspected members of a trans-border robbery
gang arrested by the Lagos State Police
Command last week. The Imo State-born
suspect who claimed to be married to a Benin
Republic-based Togolese, gave a startling
confession on the gang’s operation in Benin
and Mali, during an exclusive interview with
Crime Guard.
Chineye who admitted to be the gang’s
informant, revealed that his union with his
wife, made it easy for him to study the terrain
in Cotonou, Benin Republic, thereby facilitating
the gang’s entry into the country.
Members of his gang reportedly stormed a
micro finance bank in Porto Novo, Benin
Republic, last November, from where they
carted away the equivalent of N100 million.
Chineye who gave his operational name as
Ishola, said he masterminded the robbery
operation at the financial institute, adding that
it took him two days to study the terrain before
inviting other members of the gang over. He
further told Crime Guard that the gang was
planning to extend its operations to Togo when
they were arrested.
I go for confession after each operation
The father of one who was full of remorse said
that his pastor and members of his church,
whose name he gave as Christ Ascension
Church, Benin Republic branch, would be
shocked beyond imagination when news of his
arrest reach them.
According to him:
“ I am a dedicated church worker. Nobody
knew I was an armed robber. Every time I
returned from any operation, my
conscience would prick me. Thereafter, I
would go to church for confession but
would never disclose the exact sin I
committed.
My wife didn’t know I was a robber either.
This is because I stay in Benin Republic
where she is permanently based for two
months, before returning to Nigeria, where
she believed I was working. I usually
visited Benin Republic when we wanted to
rob and would leave after investing my
loot. This is to allow me get hints on the
outcome of the operation, in terms of
Police investigation.”
Frustration led me into robbery
At a point, he burst into tears, begging for his
wife’s forgiveness when she hears about his
involvement in crime. He stated that he never
envisaged to go into robbery but that
frustration forced him into it.
“It all started after my apprenticeship in a
pharmaceutical store, back in Owerri, the
Imo state capital. My master refused to pay
me off. Rather, he claimed that the money
he ought to have settled me with was spent
on the treatment of my ailing brother few
months back. I left in anger and worked as
a bus conductor until the engine of the bus
got knocked.
I was idle for some months, during which I
met my wife who was visiting Nigeria for
the first time. I went to Benin Republic
with her, where I met some friends who
introduced me into robbery. I started by
breaking into peoples’ apartments, but it
was not lucrative because at times, I won’t
get anything from the houses”.
I graduated into Trans- border robbery
In his desperation to eke a living, he returned
back to Nigeria last year, where he reportedly
met members of another robbery gang. He
confessed that he went on operation twice with
the new gang but only got between N20,000
and N50,000 , an amount he said was not
enough to meet his needs.
Continuing, he said :
“During one of our meetings, I told my
members that we should step up by going
to operate in Benin Republic, since their
Police were not as effective as ours. The
first operation was in a filling station in
Benin Republic. It took me two days to
survey the place before I invited members
of the gang.
At the end of the operation, we lodged in a
hotel there for two days, shared the loot
before others left,while I stayed back.
Three weeks later, as I was driving around
Porto Novo, I saw a micro-finance bank. I
studied the terrain that day and came back
the next day to continue. I observed that
policemen were not stationed there and
that only unarmed private guards were
there.
Quickly, I came to Nigeria to inform my
members and left back for Benin Republic.
Three days later, we struck at the bank and
made away with N100 million equivalent.
During operation, we don’t use our real
names. For instance, my operational name
is Ishola. We have names like Mensah,
Koffi, Messiah, master, etc. This is to give
our victims the impression that we were
from Benin Republic.
Premonition
“ Joining a robbery gang is the worst
mistake of my life. Had I known, I would
have listened to my wife.
Three days before I was nabbed, she told
me she dreamed that I was arrested
alongside other people for robbery and
that I was killed in the process. Since then,
she has been fasting and praying against
sudden death. But I assured her all was
well and that I was not into any dirty deal.
If I had known I would have returned to
Benin Republic , instead of remaining here
in Nigeria.”
I lost everything
Another suspected member of the gang,
Ifeanacho Igwe (35), told Crime Guard that he
was forced into robbery by one Nnamdi, whom
he said invited him over after he requested
financial assistance from him. The invitation
according to Igwe, turned out to be his worst
nightmare.
According to him:
“ As a commercial motorcyclist, Nnamdi
invited me to take him to a location,
promising to give me some money I earlier
requested for.
That was in 2011 But on reaching the
location at Alakija bus-stop, it turned out to
be a robbery operation scene. I couldn’t
turn back because it was late and I was
afraid they could kill me. I had no option
than to play along.They succeeded in
collecting N85 million from a victim and at
the end I got N25 million. Since then, I cut
off totally from them.
I lost everything I used that money on; I
bought a new truck for N14 million and a
commercial bus , including a sports utility
vehicle for my personal use. I used the rest
to renovate my mother’s house and
support my siblings’ education.
Since that robbery operation my entire life
has gone from bad to worse. I gave the
truck out to a driver to use for
transportation purpose.While on a
business trip to the eastern part of the
country, it rammed over someone before it
somersaulted into a river, with goods
worth several millions of naira. As if that
was not enough, I am in the police net for
a crime committed four years ago. My past
sins have caught up with me,” he stated in
an emotion- laden voice. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL AND TOUCHING NIGERIAN CELEBRITIES BIOGRAPHY AND SCANDALS
No comments:
Post a Comment
Select "Anonymous" As Your Profile Or Login To Your "Google Account" Post A Comment!