A 32-year-old suspected armed robbery kingpin, terrorizing residents of the border areas of Lagos and Ogun communities, has been arrested.
The suspect, Obani Desmond, had severally escaped arrest until Wednesday, July 12, 2023, when the law of retribution caught up with him while attempting to infiltrate into a building at 2, Ayo Ogunbanwo Street, Abule-Iroko in the Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area.
Recovered from him were four pistols with 5 live ammunition, nine expended, and five live cartridges.
A statement by the Corps Commander of the So-Safe Corps, Dr. Soji Ganzallo, issued by the Public Relations Officer, AC Moruf Yusuf, disclosed that efforts were ongoing to recover one AK-47 rifle kept in the custody of a fleeing member of the gang, identified simply as Jeje.
Desmond's arrest, according to the statement, was effected by the SC Akinrele Adetayo-led team of So-Safe operatives on routine patrol.
Smarting from the suspect's record of evasiveness, the Corps Commander had earlier instructed the team to exhibit excellent expertise and caution in its attempt to arrest the suspect, by ensuring he was caught alive so that a number of heinous acts he had perpetrated would not die with him.
Heeding the instruction, Desmond, a resident of 25, Agunbiade Street, Orija, Abule Iroko, was caught red-handed, even as he explored his evasive antics.
Ganzallo stated that, on realizing that his cup of criminal acts was full, and there was no escape route for him, the suspect voluntarily confessed his mission in the building, to the effect that he was there mainly for gold jewelry, and as such was not armed.
He further promised to cooperate with the team by disclosing where the gang's arms were usually kept.
However, according to Ganzallo, on getting to his residence, his wife, Simbi Temitope, apparently aware of her husband's arrest, had hidden three of the guns, one single and 2 locally-made double barrel pistols, in another room;
"A pistol with 12 rounds of ammunition was recovered in his room, while a search conducted in and around the premises led to the recovery of the hidden arms and ammunition. Altogether, four guns with five live ammunition, nine used and five live cartridges were recovered from the suspect", Ganzallo disclosed.
The suspect, however, confessed to having taken part in a number of deadly attacks, both in Ogun and Lagos states, assuring the Corps that efforts should be made to arrest another notable member of the gang, Jeje, for an update on the series of their operations, who is also the custodian of the gang's AK-47 rifle.
"Meanwhile, Ganzallo has given the Agbado/Oke Aro/Ibaragun Area Commander of the Corps, ACC Olaiya Akeem, a marching order to work with the Nigeria Police Force in the axis to bring the rest culprits to book", the statement added.
The suspect and the recovered exhibit had been transferred to the Agbado Divisional Police Headquarters for further investigation and prosecution.
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