Lagos police bust gangs specialised in robbing bank customers

Detectives from the Lagos State Police Command have arrested five suspected members of two armed robbery gangs that allegedly specialise in trailing bank customers home to rob them of cash they withdraw. The first gang, according to the police, comprised three men operating in the Agbara and Badagry areas. Two members of the gang were […]

Detectives from the Lagos State Police Command have arrested five suspected members of two armed robbery gangs that allegedly specialise in trailing bank customers home to rob them of cash they withdraw.

The first gang, according to the police, comprised three men operating in the Agbara and Badagry areas.

Two members of the gang were said to be currently on the run, but the police disclosed that the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) had arrested the gang’s kingpin, 32-year-old Chinonso Ndioziri, alias Smart, after the gang trailed and attacked a popular baker in Agbara who had gone to withdraw the sum of N1.5 million from a bank at Agbara on Friday.

The robbers were alleged to have trailed the baker to his house at Ajangbadi, in the Ojo local government area of the state.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said yesterday that the robbers shot the victim on both legs before dispossessing him of the entire money he had withdrawn from the bank.

Odumosu said that police operatives from Ajangbadi and SARS were promptly mobilised to the crime scene and Ndioziri was arrested.

He added that one double-barrel gun with four live cartridges and one expended cartridge were recovered from the suspect. Effort, he said, was ongoing to apprehend the two fleeing members of the gang.

The police Commissioner said that also on Friday, at about 8pm, another gang of armed robbers operating on a motorcycle trailed a victim from his place of work at Abolarin, Mushin, to his house at Sadiku Street, Mushin.

“As the victim was opening his entrance gate, the robbers attacked him at gunpoint and dispossessed him of his bag containing a cash sum of N400,000.

“The victim raised an alarm which attracted operatives from the Olosan Division who were on crime prevention patrol around the area. One Dayo Adebayo, male, 40 years old, was arrested. One Berretta pistol, with two live ammunitions, was recovered from him.

“Investigation led operatives to the gang’s hide-out at Sadiku junction, Mushin, where another gang member, Omotoyosi Abdullahi, male, 24 years old was arrested,” he said.