Police detectives attached to the Nigerian Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Command, led by Superintendent of Police, Abba Kyari, have arrested a 33-year-old armed robbery suspect who made a living by smuggling stolen goods from Nigeria to Cameroon.
The suspect identified as Obinna Okorie was arrested at his hide out in Onitsha, Anambra State, following a confessional statement made by a member of his gang who was arrested in February. The Lagos State police boss, Assistant Inspector General of Police Umar Manko confirmed the incident to Daily Trust.
“Usman (gang member who denounced Obinna Okorie) claimed to be military personnel at the time of his arrest. He was later transferred to the Directorate of Military Intelligence for trial. It was during trial that Usman indicted Obinna,” Manko disclosed.
Confession
At the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters, Ikeja, where Obinna Okorie is presently being detained, he made the following confession to Daily Trust – a leading Nigerian newspaper.
“Formerly, I was into cross border trade. I used to bring in Second-and shoes and clothes from Cameroon to Nigeria for sale. That was until I met one Tochukwu, who said we can make more money by moving anything we can lay our hands on in Nigeria to Cameroon. I thought about the idea for a while, then decided to put together a small gang of armed robbers consisting of four persons with me as the leader.
“With the little money I had then, I bought a Volkswagen, with which we started hijacking passengers and dispossessing them of cash and other valuables. We usually come out for operation during rush hours in the morning and evening. At times, we will push our victims out of the moving vehicle after collecting all they have on them. This depends on how cooperative they are. Some of them are stubborn, particularly male traders.
“I made good money from catch-in-the-air operations. I bought four more buses and expanded the gang. Our route usually was; Oshodi-Warf and Oshodi to Idumota.
It is a member of the gang who told us that we can make better money hijacking trailer load of goods from Apapa. He was a hustler at the Apapa and Tin Can ports. From what he told me, I suspected that he was on the run from the authorities at the ports.
“We then tried his plan and it worked out very good for us, because we made over N5 million from the first trailer load of auto batteries we hijacked. It was while we were doing this that I realized that I could make more money if I rented a warehouse in Cameroon from where I can be selling the stolen items. I have retired service men and dismissed soldiers as members of my gang. I bought a Toyota Hilux with which we intercept truck drivers under the pretense that we are security operatives on patrol.”
With the assistance of INTERPOL, Obinna Okorie led Kyari and his team to Cameroon where he has some warehouses and boys working for him.
“The goods have been identified as stolen from Nigeria. Since the goods were moved from one country to another, INTERPOL is liaising with the court in Cameroon, to give order for their release to Nigeria,” Lagos State police boss told Daily Trust.
