The suspects identified as Adewale Osoja, 21; Bala Yahaya,
28; Hasan Ado, 19; Ahmed Boladale, 20; Abiodun Olareaju
27 and Abbey Edward, 45, were said to have met their
waterloo after they attacked worshippers at Christ Authority
and Power Evangelical Ministry, CAPEM, Vespa, Ijanikin,
Lagos-Badagry Expressway, during a crossover night vigil on
December 31, 2013.
The bandits, who were armed with locally made double barrel
guns, struck at a time when the faithful were exchanging
pleasantries for seeing the New Year and dispossessed them
of their valuables which include Ipads, Ipods, phones,
jewellery, money and church offerings.
Vanguard gathered that the bandits also attacked residents of
Morontola Street, Vespa Ijanikin the next day but they met
stiff resistance from some residents who engaged them in a
fight, forcing them to abandon one of their operational
weapons before escaping.
How they were arrested
However, a member of the gang, Hassan Ado, went back to
Morontola Street, the next day in search of his abandoned
weapon. He inquired from some young boys he met in the
area for help but they swiftly alerted the police who
apprehended and transferred him to SARS.
It was also gathered that SARS operatives, led by SP Abba
Kyari, interrogated the suspect and his confession led to the
arrest of five other members of his gang.
Spokesperson of the Lagos State Police command, Ngozi
Braide, who paraded the suspects, identified Adewale Osoja
as the leader of the gang, adding that he was just released
from prison.
Braide also said 45-year-old Abbey Edward from Benin
Republic, supplied five double barrel locally made pistols he
imported into Nigeria from his country to the gang. She said
Edward sold each of the guns for N7,000 to Abiodun
Olarewaju, who then sold at N20,000 each to the gang.
She said: "They all confessed to be members of Eiye Confraternity and we are responsible for most of the robberies
at Ajangbadi, Ilogbo, Ijanikin and other places in area. We
are also making efforts to arrest other members of the gang."
We got N48,000 from the church
One of the suspects, who identified himself as Adewale Osoja
told Vanguard that after they had robbed the Church on
December 31, 2013 they also went to the house of one Mr.
Sam who is a member of the church and robbed him of the
offering that was collected in church.
He said what they got from the church was N48,000. He also
stated that they all grew up as friends but started stealing
immediately they were initiated into Eiye cult group.
Another member of the gang told Vanguard of how he got
involved with the other suspects.
He said: "I live in Agbara, but I am a citizen of Benin
Republic. The gang member nicknamed me "baba abey." A
member of OPC vigilante group discovered a place where we
used to make locally made gun."
He said the gang member approached him and told him to
help the gang cross the gun into Nigeria, which he did. He
also stated that the gang members bought the gun themselves
and paid him only N7,000 to cross them.
Source: Vanguard
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