Five days after, luck ran out on Emmanuel who was apprehended in his hideout in Delta State.
Police sources said that in the course of investigation, four guns belonging to the gang were recovered. .
Two Pump Action Rifles (PARs) said to belong to Victor, Innocent and Joseph were being used to snatch vehicles and which they subsequently, sold in Umuahia, Abia State capital.
Joseph is fingered as the armourer of the gang.
According to police sources, Joseph sold one of the guns to one Black Joe, with real name Joseph Afabor in Okpe local government area of Delta State for N20, 000 through James Ukemure. The gun, according to the suspects, was tested in a fish farm owned by Black Joe who is still at large.
Oyoma who claimed to be a youth leader in the area and head of vigilante group, was alleged to have sold the four cartridges to Joseph which was used for the Lagos operation.
When his house in Ughelli, along Ozoro Road was searched, four long locally made guns, with large quantity of cartridges were recovered. Oyoma claimed the guns belong to the community, who gave him charge of
them to keep for the purpose of vigilante as a youth leader.
Police sources said that in the course of investigation, four guns belonging to the gang were recovered. .
Two Pump Action Rifles (PARs) said to belong to Victor, Innocent and Joseph were being used to snatch vehicles and which they subsequently, sold in Umuahia, Abia State capital.
Joseph is fingered as the armourer of the gang.
According to police sources, Joseph sold one of the guns to one Black Joe, with real name Joseph Afabor in Okpe local government area of Delta State for N20, 000 through James Ukemure. The gun, according to the suspects, was tested in a fish farm owned by Black Joe who is still at large.
Oyoma who claimed to be a youth leader in the area and head of vigilante group, was alleged to have sold the four cartridges to Joseph which was used for the Lagos operation.
When his house in Ughelli, along Ozoro Road was searched, four long locally made guns, with large quantity of cartridges were recovered. Oyoma claimed the guns belong to the community, who gave him charge of
them to keep for the purpose of vigilante as a youth leader.
This is not the best of time for one Emmanuel Ererie, a robbery suspect who allegedly hired a notorious robbery gang to rob his uncle, Ororogu Peter Ererie. It was a case of paying an uncle who nurtured him to adulthood, with a bad coin.
Emmanuel, who is now a guest of the operatives attached to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), of the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, allegedly confessed to hiring armed robbers to attack his uncle.
Emmanuel, who is now a guest of the operatives attached to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), of the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, allegedly confessed to hiring armed robbers to attack his uncle.
Journalists reliably gathered that Emmanuel recruited the members of the gang all the way from Delta State to attack his Uncle at his Festac town residence, in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos.
Four other members of the gang being held by SARS detectives include, Joseph Ovonogbaho, Victor Ezenwa, Ibe Innocent, Ukerume James, and Oyoma Akpojiyovwi.
It was learnt that Joseph, Victor and Ibe were brought from Agbarufor in Delta State by Emmanuel to Festac town to rob his uncle, kill him and also, remove one of his exotic cars.
The victim is said to be a prominent business man in Lagos. The incident occurred sometime in July this year.
Police sources said that as the robbery suspects arrived at the premises, Emmanuel whose father is the elder brother to the victim, pressed the wall bell and sighted someone who was coming from the building to open the gate, before he withdrew, while he asked Joseph and Innocent to enter the building.
It was further gathered that Emmanuel gave the impression that his uncle had kept foreign currencies in cartons in his room.
It was further gathered that Emmanuel gave the impression that his uncle had kept foreign currencies in cartons in his room.
When they accosted the victim, they claimed one Baba Tola sent them to him to carry out plumbing repair work in the house.
But the man and his wife who were suspicious of the strange visitors at about 7:00p.m, alerted neighbours who came to their rescue. Following the raising of the alarm, it was said, Emmanuel and Victor took to their heels, while Innocent and Joseph were arrested.
But the man and his wife who were suspicious of the strange visitors at about 7:00p.m, alerted neighbours who came to their rescue. Following the raising of the alarm, it was said, Emmanuel and Victor took to their heels, while Innocent and Joseph were arrested.
Upon a search conducted on Innocent, four live cartridges were found on him and the two were handed over to the Festac Police Division before they were subsequently transferred SARS.
Their arrest led to the arrest of Innocent Ezenma.
Emanuel who had escaped from the scene allegedly put a call through to other members of the gang to ascertain if they succeeded, but unknown to him, they had been arrested.
“When the phone was put on speaker, his uncle could not believe his ears when he heard the voice of his niece, asking if they had succeeded in robbing him or not. When he now realised they had been arrested, he ran to Delta State where he went into hiding”, said the police source.
Their arrest led to the arrest of Innocent Ezenma.
Emanuel who had escaped from the scene allegedly put a call through to other members of the gang to ascertain if they succeeded, but unknown to him, they had been arrested.
“When the phone was put on speaker, his uncle could not believe his ears when he heard the voice of his niece, asking if they had succeeded in robbing him or not. When he now realised they had been arrested, he ran to Delta State where he went into hiding”, said the police source.
He also claimed that the four cartridges were given to one of the vigilante members in the community who came and requested for it under the guise that they were going for a patrol of the community.
In an encounter with the robbery suspects who spoke one after another, Emmanuel Ererie: 24 years old, who hails from Agbaraota in Delta State, claimed to be an automobile mechanic apprentice in Lagos,
“I live in Ajangbadi white house in Lagos in an apartment belonging to my uncle, Godwin Ererie by name. He supplies water to the people in that community, I came to Lagos over a year ago through my uncle who is my father’s younger brother. He brought me to Lagos to learn a trade in automobile mechanic.
“I was arrested because my brother drove me out his house when I had an accident with his car which I took out without his permission. So, I was locked up by the owner of the other car that I hit during an accident. I was in detention for six months and my case was usually adjourned. I was often taken out of prison to court until the day that my uncle came for my bail. After this incident, he sent me packing and asked me to return to Delta State and subsequently, warned me never to return to his house again. As a result and in a bid to pay him back, I had to conspire with three of my friends to go to his house and make away with his money, though they didn’t come with any guns, but they came with four bullets because a friend of mine whom I told about the deal told me he had a gun, but we couldn’t meet with him at home, before we left for the operation in Lagos.
“After I had been assured by one of the three guys who is massive in frame that he would use his physical strength, so we had to rely on him without the guns. But when we got to my brothers apartment, I pressed the bell at the entrance gate and I noticed it was my uncle that was coming to open the gate so I ran to hide from seeing me. When he saw the guys he asked what their mission was, but when they could not explain well, he raised an alarm, and the area boys emerged within a twinkle of an eye and arrested them. When they tried to ask them several questions, but they refused to speak, one of my guys slapped one of them, and physical combat ensued. They were all apprehended, searched and four cartridges were found on them. They were subsequently taken to the police station. My uncle did not offend me and his wife also, did not offend me”, he narrated.
Also, Oyoma Akpojivovwi, 34 years old, hails from Ugheli North local government of Delta State; he made his own narration of the incident.
In an encounter with the robbery suspects who spoke one after another, Emmanuel Ererie: 24 years old, who hails from Agbaraota in Delta State, claimed to be an automobile mechanic apprentice in Lagos,
“I live in Ajangbadi white house in Lagos in an apartment belonging to my uncle, Godwin Ererie by name. He supplies water to the people in that community, I came to Lagos over a year ago through my uncle who is my father’s younger brother. He brought me to Lagos to learn a trade in automobile mechanic.
“I was arrested because my brother drove me out his house when I had an accident with his car which I took out without his permission. So, I was locked up by the owner of the other car that I hit during an accident. I was in detention for six months and my case was usually adjourned. I was often taken out of prison to court until the day that my uncle came for my bail. After this incident, he sent me packing and asked me to return to Delta State and subsequently, warned me never to return to his house again. As a result and in a bid to pay him back, I had to conspire with three of my friends to go to his house and make away with his money, though they didn’t come with any guns, but they came with four bullets because a friend of mine whom I told about the deal told me he had a gun, but we couldn’t meet with him at home, before we left for the operation in Lagos.
“After I had been assured by one of the three guys who is massive in frame that he would use his physical strength, so we had to rely on him without the guns. But when we got to my brothers apartment, I pressed the bell at the entrance gate and I noticed it was my uncle that was coming to open the gate so I ran to hide from seeing me. When he saw the guys he asked what their mission was, but when they could not explain well, he raised an alarm, and the area boys emerged within a twinkle of an eye and arrested them. When they tried to ask them several questions, but they refused to speak, one of my guys slapped one of them, and physical combat ensued. They were all apprehended, searched and four cartridges were found on them. They were subsequently taken to the police station. My uncle did not offend me and his wife also, did not offend me”, he narrated.
Also, Oyoma Akpojivovwi, 34 years old, hails from Ugheli North local government of Delta State; he made his own narration of the incident.
“I finished from Sapele Technical School, before I joined in farming work when I was jobless. I came to Lagos through one Joseph Ovonoghaho, a member of vigilante security group in Agbaraoto in Delta State. So, I have been the leader of the youth. Any time we have issues of theft, we call on the vigilante group to come and hand over the suspect to the police officials. From there Joseph now came to me that I should give him four bullets that they were going for a patrol of Agbaraoto in Delta State for security purpose just for a day. Usually, I don’t give them guns, but only bullets, because I know him to be a security officer in the community who the community gives guns, as part of their security duties. When the police came to my house they found four guns and 12 cartridges”, said the 34-year-old suspect.
Ukerume James, 32years, single, lived in Agbarato community in Delta State. He works as a fisherman. He was arrested by the SARS in Delta State on of August 21, this year. He said that the gun in his possession was sold to him.
“I was asked to take them to the person, but I told them the gun was sold to my friend. But on getting there the person was not around. The person is Joseph Afabor Ovonogbarho (aka Black Joe by name). So, since we couldn’t meet him so we went to his house but met the wife. She was arrested hoping that the husband would come and submit the guns when he returned, but he never showed up. We thought he could come to bail his wife.
Ukerume James, 32years, single, lived in Agbarato community in Delta State. He works as a fisherman. He was arrested by the SARS in Delta State on of August 21, this year. He said that the gun in his possession was sold to him.
“I was asked to take them to the person, but I told them the gun was sold to my friend. But on getting there the person was not around. The person is Joseph Afabor Ovonogbarho (aka Black Joe by name). So, since we couldn’t meet him so we went to his house but met the wife. She was arrested hoping that the husband would come and submit the guns when he returned, but he never showed up. We thought he could come to bail his wife.
“I was also accused because I introduced him to the person he sold the gun to. On that fateful day, Joseph Ovonogbarho called me at 2am, asking if I would like to buy a gun that the community vigilante group had a gun they want to sell. So, I told him point blank, no! And he said I should ask my friend Joseph Afobor (aka Black Joe) if he would like to buy and I said okay I would ask him and if he would be interested in buying it or not that I would give him a call. Thereafter, when I asked him, he indicated interest in buying and bought it for a sum of N20,000. I am not a member of the vigilante group, but Afabor is. Also, I don’t know any of the suspects, except Ovonogbarho who is my blood relation. And up till this moment, I don’t know that he came to Lagos and I don’t know what they had done. I was arrested, because of the gun issue”, he said.
Also, Innocent Ibe, 21 years old from Imo State, claims he lives at Agbaraoto in Warri, with his friend Ovonogbarho,
“I met him when I was hawking electronics in Delta State for Top World Ventures Nigeria Ltd. where I resigned from, because I wasn’t promoted. So, I returned to Imo state. When I called Ovonogbarho to tell him that I was not doing any job to make a living and for him to come to my aid, he asked me to come and be helping him in his plumbing job which we were both doing until one Emmanuel Ererie introduced the business about his brother to us.
“Another one was vehicle robbery in Imo and sales at Abia. He pays us any amount he desires, since he is the one that sponsors the deal, so we don’t negotiate with him. He once paid us a sum of N150, 000 each for the two deals we had done with him and the car that was used was a Honda civic car.
Also, Innocent Ibe, 21 years old from Imo State, claims he lives at Agbaraoto in Warri, with his friend Ovonogbarho,
“I met him when I was hawking electronics in Delta State for Top World Ventures Nigeria Ltd. where I resigned from, because I wasn’t promoted. So, I returned to Imo state. When I called Ovonogbarho to tell him that I was not doing any job to make a living and for him to come to my aid, he asked me to come and be helping him in his plumbing job which we were both doing until one Emmanuel Ererie introduced the business about his brother to us.
“Another one was vehicle robbery in Imo and sales at Abia. He pays us any amount he desires, since he is the one that sponsors the deal, so we don’t negotiate with him. He once paid us a sum of N150, 000 each for the two deals we had done with him and the car that was used was a Honda civic car.
“So, when the Lagos operation was mentioned I had to come with three of my friends to go to his house to make away with the money he mentioned his uncle had in his room, though they didn’t come with any guns, but they came with three bullet because a friend of mine whom I told about the deal told me he had a gun, but we couldn’t meet him at home, before we left for the operation. Despite being assured by one of the three guys who looks so huge and muscular that he would use his physical strength so we had to rely on him, without the guns. But when we got to his brothers apartment, he pressed the bell at the entrance of the gate and noticed it was his uncle that was coming to open the gate so he ran to hide from him. When he saw the guys he asked what was their mission and they said they were directed to come and do a plumbing job in the house so his brother told them that they must have been given the wrong address. Joseph then told the two guys to be going, but one of them proved to be stubborn. I wasn’t having any intention harm him, but our mission was to cart away money in his possession”, he confessed.
The last member of the gang is Victor Ezenwa. He is 23 years old and a native of Imo state. He is a painter.
The last member of the gang is Victor Ezenwa. He is 23 years old and a native of Imo state. He is a painter.
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