Two suspected armed robbers, Emeka Edward and George David, are currently cooling their feet at the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly robbing in the Alagbado area of the state.
SNN Metro learnt that the two suspects were initially apprehended by residents of the area, and were later handed over to the Alagbado Police Division.
Our correspondent gathered that while Edward and David were arrested, a third member of the gang, who was said to be in possession of an AK-47 used during the operation, identified simply as Kelvin, was still on the run.
After the duo was arrested on December 5, the case was transferred to the state Special Anti-Robbery Squad for further investigation.
The police said they recovered 7.65cm live ammunition from the suspects at the scene of the operation.
Speaking with Newsmen, 20-year-old Edward from Egbema, Rivers State, said they were about dispossessing their victims of their belongings when some members of the vigilance group and some other residents storm the building. They added that they had no choice but to flee.
He said, “It was only Kelvin that had a gun. The two of us only had knives. It was about 7pm when we got to the house. We met a woman with her four children and we asked them to lie on the ground.
“We held the woman by the wrapper and she thought we wanted to rape her. She ignored the gun and ran out of the building, shouting to attract attention.
“When we saw that the people were gathering, we ran out and Kelvin escaped. I was pursued and was eventually caught. The residents wanted to lynch me, but a few others prevented them and advised that I should be taken to the police station.”
Edward added that he went out with the gang to have money to his mother to take care of his siblings.
“I dropped out of secondary school in Junior Secondary School 1. My father is dead and I have four siblings. I agreed to go out with Kelvin and David because I needed money to give for my mother to take care of my younger ones,” he added.
Also, David, 27, from Aniocha North, Delta State, said Kelvin was their leader and he had promised him a huge sum of money. He added that he embarked on the operation because of financial difficulties.
He said, “I was a commercial tricycle driver. At a point when I could no longer cope financially, I sold my tricycle for N80,000. When I met Kelvin, he said we could go on the street and make some money since he had a gun. He was the one who led us to the house of the victims. But he managed to escape that night.
“He told me he was travelling to South Africa and he needed money to complete his visa processing. I knew I was foolish for going with him, but it was because of my financial condition.”
According to the police, the gang, during their operation, injured one of their victims, an undergraduate, on the head with the butt of their gun.
The police added that they also attempted to rape the woman found in the house.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said efforts were on to get the remaining gang member.
He said, “The two of them have already confessed to other robberies in the state. Although the third gang member is on the run, the police are making efforts to apprehend him.”
