A suspected robbery gang arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) have said smoking Indian hemp led them to snatching cars and committing other violent crimes.
Chukwuemeka, one of the suspects confessed that being introduced to smoking Indian hemp led him to join the robbery gang in Ajegunle, a popular suburb in Lagos.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the robbery gang was on the way to snatch a Toyota car when the police intercepted them.
“I regret joining Indian hemp smokers. I am a commercial bus driver, but every evening after work, I go to Bola area of Ajegunle to smoke hemp.
“I met our gang leader, simply identified as Ogaga at the smoking joint. We exchanged telephone numbers and one Sunday; he called me to meet him at Bola that there was a business,
“I left church after Sunday service to meet Ogaga. While at the place, he told me that there is one Alhaji that we will work for and get paid. When I heard the title Alhaji, I thought he was a politician.
“Few minutes later, one man came and introduced himself as Alhaji. He told us that he needs clean stolen cars to buy and promised to go with us in the operation. Our job is to snatch the car at gun point and escape; and I agreed. I regretted coming from the church to where they were planning to go and rob, yet, I agreed to the operation. It is the devil that pushed me.’’
Ogaga, another suspected member of the gang confessed that he was in prison for a similar offence when one inmate introduced him to one Alhaji Orile. He said they stole cars for the Alhaji and confessed to connecting other members of the gang with the Alhaji.
Another member of the gang, Daniel said he met Ogaga when he went to smoke Indian hemp and the two had become friends.
“I bought (Indian hemp) for him and then we became friends. He told me that he has a contact from prisons that would fetch them money. He said he knows one Alhaji who requested them to work for him. We called Aljhaji and he promised to see us the next day. Alhaji came and met us in front of Tolu Medical Hospital, Ajegunle. It was at that place I met Chukwuemeka.
“Alhaji said that he would take us to a place where he would show to us nice cars that he wants us to steal for him to buy. He gave us N3,000 to take care of ourselves. The second day, he came with his driver and met us at Koriola Street, Ajegunle, close to where we usually smoke hemp.
“We entered his car and were about driving to where we would carry out the operation when SARS men stopped us and arrested everybody. I regretted being a member of this gang. We would have carried out the operation, but for the arrest,’’
The last member of the gang who was also arrested by the police, Oluchukwu, claimed he was innocent as he didn’t know they were robbers and had only gone to meet Ogaga to request for assistance.
The deputy spokesman of zone 2 police command, Adeyanju Shem said the police had been on their trail and were able to apprehend them due to a tip-off. He said the police hoped to arrest other members of the group.
Meanwhile, police operatives of SARS apprehended a pastor and two other men for allegedly diverting a truckload of air conditioners valued at about N25 million.
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