Special Anti-Robbery Squad,SARS arrested three persons alleged to have burgled a store in Ikeja area of Lagos last December and carted away gold jewellery worth N23 million and over N100,000.One of the suspects was discovered to be a private guard to owner of the shop, one Mrs Ekong.
The 32-year old father of
two who hails from Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State narrates…………………
“I found it difficult to
secure a job because I am a secondary school drop-out. So, I decided to use a
fake address to apply for security job last October, where I was paid N17,000
per month. But the money was not enough to fend for my wife and two children.
“At a point, a devilish
thought came into my mind to burgle my boss’ shop. I contacted two of my
friends to assist and we went to buy chemicals which we poured on the wall. We
left with the intention of coming back at midnight. By then the portion we
poured the chemical would have weakened, thereby allowing us easy passage.
“But I did not wait for
them to arrive before I broke into the shop. I went alone for two reasons: to
get the largest share of the loot and to prevent a situation whereby their
movement would attract people.
“I also decided to do it
alone because I had earlier carried out similar burglary where I was a guard. I
made away with gold chains and a cash of N108,000. I kept the cash to myself
and gave 35 neck chains (gold) to Ogaba while I took the remaining to Yaba
market where I sold them for N1,105,000.
“The original price was
more than that. The person that bought it from me cheated me by cutting off the
price tags on them. Some of them had price tags between N250,000 and N350,000.
The least was N75,000.
“Ogaba told me he sold the
35 pieces I gave to him for N80,000 to one Jubril Garba. But I know he lied.
But I did not argue with him. I told him that was his share.
“After the sales, I
immediately moved my family to Benue State. I opened a hair dressing saloon for
my wife and invested the rest in plank business. When my wife asked where I got
the money from, I told her I was paid off at my place of work.
“Immediately, I destroyed
the unregistered SIM card my boss was used to and started life afresh with a
promise never to delve into crime again."
However, eight months after the crime was
committed, Obande was arrested in his home town. His arrest followed the
confessional statement of one of his alleged partners in crime, Ogbulaja Ogaba.
Ogaba said: “I only got
N80,000 but did not partake in the operation. Obande initially invited me to
assist him burgle the gold supermarket.
“On the day in question,
December 22, 2013, he later called me to meet him in a hotel where he gave me
35 pieces of jewellery to sell. I was yet to finish selling it when he called
me on the phone that he was leaving Lagos for his home town.“When I asked him
about the money with me , he said I should have fun with it. I ended up using
it to pay for my siblings West Africa Examinations Council WAEC examination
fees.”
Culled from Vanguard
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