Robbers raid ram market

Two armed men were shot dead on Tuesday after they raided a ram market in the Ifako-Gbagada area of Lagos State. The third robber, however, escaped.

It was gathered that the men who came in a Mazda car shot sporadically into the air as they entered the ram market around 2am.

Some of the ram sellers who slept in the market took to their heels.

A police officer, who declined identification because he was not authorised to speak on behalf of the police, told our correspondent that the men quickly selected three fat rams and put them inside the boot of their get-away car.

“But the gun they shot into the air when they were entering the market, attracted policemen on patrol duty and the policemen went there.

“On sighting the robbers, the policemen told them to give themselves up. But, instead of complying, they shot at the policemen.

At the end of the day, two of them were shot dead, while the third one ran away. We recovered the rams and the car,” he said.

In another development, two young men, who tried to make quick cash for Sallah celebration, have been arrested after they robbed their victim at Salvation road, Ikeja.

It was gathered that the robbers, Daniel Umoren and Kehinde Eniola, collected four phones and two laptops from their victim.

However, a resident who saw them in operation alerted the police, who apprehended the boys and recovered the items stolen.

Deputy spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Samuel Jinadu confirmed the incidents, saying, “The police are investigating.”

Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011172161060
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Police seize arms in Ibadan

The Oyo state Police Command last week intercepted a van carrying some military weapons from a gang of suspected armed robbers. The police claimed those arrested were planning to rob banks within Ibadan, the state capital.

Weapons recovered include seven AK47 riffles, 103 AK47 riffle magazines, one assault riffle magazine, 727 GPMG ammunition, explosive materials, and one chisel.

Adisa Baba Bolanta, the state police commissioner told journalists that the gang was intercepted by men of the highway patrol team at the Ibadan toll-gate end of the Ile-Ife-Ibadan expressway last week Monday.

Mr Bolanta said the gang of six men conveyed in a cream-colour volkswagen van.

He said his men had flagged them down for a check, but rather than stop, the driver of the vehicle sped off and almost knocked down a police sergeant, member of the patrol team.

The reckless driving and the fact that all the six occupants of the vehicle were young men dressed in layers of clothes fuelled the patrol team's suspicion and they gave the gang a hot chase.

The team, according to the CP, caught up with the gang at the Ibadan toll gate end and forced it to stop. As soon as the vehicle stopped, all the suspects jumped down and fled to the bush, but the driver of the vehicle, Chinedu Nwayanwu, was not as lucky as he was arrested while attempting to escape.

Bank robbers

Those arrested confessed that they were coming from Akure, Ondo state to rob banks in Ibadan, claimed the police. Mr Nwayanwu, who was wreathing in pains on account of gun wound sustained from the police team who arrested him, refused to say much to journalists beyond repeating ‘I am a driver'.

He, however, reportedly told the police that the gang was the one that robbed a First bank branch in Ibadan some months ago, adding that they came from Lagos to sleep in a church at Akure where they attended a night vigil with other Christians before heading for Ibadan where they planned to do their operation.

The arms and ammunitions were neatly concealed in the van roof, which carries the sticker of an authorised vehicle for commercial purpose in a military barracks.

He also denied that two people were killed before the "anti-Akala" rally held at Ogbomoso last week. He said policemen were on ground just as other security agencies and they had no record of any loss of life before, during, and after the rally.

He, however, agreed that there was ‘a disorder of magnificent scale' in the town on the day of the rally, but blamed that on the organisers of the rally, who, he claimed, went beyond what they told the police they planned to do.

Five people arrested for unlawful behaviour during the rally, he informed, will soon be prosecuted.

Source:http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Crime/5640005-146/police_seize_arms_in_ibadan_.csp

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Robbers escape through canal with N6m

A six-man armed robbery gang on Tuesday in Lagos attacked and robbed some traders, who were coming from Cotonou in Benin Republic, of N6m.

PUNCH METRO learnt that suspected robbers on three motorcycles forced the commercial bus in which the traders were travelling to a halt at Mile 2 on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

One of the traders, who identified himself simply as Akin, said the robbers subsequently ransacked the bus and robbed the traders of their money. He added, that one of the traders was shot by the robbers.

“They initially argued whether they should hijack the bus, but resolved that we should be robbed there. They collected all the money with us (traders) and even took some of our goods,” he said.

It was learnt that some residents of the area, who were attracted to the scene by the shooting, later alerted the police.

But PUNCH METRO gathered that the robbers abandoned their motorcycles and escaped with their loot through a canal in the area as soon as they sighted the police.

Spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Frank Mba, who confirmed the incident, expressed hope that the suspects would soon be arrested.

“There was no casualty and the traders have given valuable information to the police,” he said.

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Two remanded for robbery, murder

An Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court on Monday in Lagos ordered two men to be remanded in Ikoyi Prison for armed robbery and murder.

The Magistrate, Mr. O. O. Olatunji, who gave the order, said the men should be kept behind bars pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that pleas of the accused –Terry Oguname (26) and Daniel Zira (25) –S were not taken.

They are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, murder and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Mr. Isaac Aminu, told the court that the offences were committed on September 11, 2010 at a firm Business Contracting Limited, Plot 123, Lekki Phase I, Lagos.

He alleged that in the process of robbing the company, the accused murdered Mr. Joel Ndukwe, the security guard on duty.

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Four die as armed robbers raid banks in Ijebu-Ode

Four persons on Tuesday lost their lives in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, following an exchange of gunfire between the police and some armed robbers, who attacked some commercial banks on Ibadan Road in the city.

PUNCH METRO gathered that two robbers, unidentified old woman and a young lady, were the victims.

It was also gathered that the tyres of an Armoured Personnel Carrier that razed to the scene were deflated by gunshots from the robbers.

According to an eyewitness, Mr. Dele Ogunboye, the robbers, numbering about 40, attacked about six banks in the area around 9:50am.

He said the robbers arrived the area in two 18 -seater Urvan buses and a Volkswagen Jetta.

Ogunboye added that one of the buses had a commercial registration number, while the other two were without registration number.

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