Two robbery suspects, Usman Musa and Garba, who specialised in snatching vehicles from motorists in Lagos state, have been arrested and detained by the state Police Command.

The gang, who reportedly have a standby operational vehicle, usually waylay victims on the expressway at night in order to rob them of their cars or valuables.

They have reportedly snatched and successfully sold several vehicles but luck ran out on them after detectives attached to the Command nabbed them.

Musa, 28, while being paraded at the Command headquarters on Friday, told newsmen the gang specialized in blocking cars on the expressway at night and dispossess occupants of their valuables.

He said as time went on, he and other members of his group decided to change trade when it became clear they were enriching their receivers, instead of themselves. He said that it was after such experiences that the gang members decided to steal only valuables from motorists on the highway.

He said: “Whenever we snatched vehicles and sell to receivers, they would pay part payment, promising to bring the balance later but they would later disappear. They wouldn’t pick their calls and we wouldn’t get our money, so we decided to change trade.

“I was arrested through one of the phones the gang collected from victims. The police used the phone to track me.”

Musa recalled how he was initiated saying, “A friend of mine, Tony called me. He said that the work I was doing wasn’t bringing much money. He told me what he and others used to do to make money.

“Tony has a car. He said that he and others used to go to the expressway, block other motorists and rob them. They would dispossess the occupants of money and other valuables on them.

“After Tony left, I thought about his proposal and decided to join him and his gang. It was not even up to six months that I joined them before police arrested me.

“We are five in number. We usually go for operation around 10pm. When it’s time for operation, we’ll call one another on phone and meet at Itire, Ajegunle. It’s from Itire that we move to the expressway.

“We drive around and when we see someone who is alone and driving, we drive to the front of the car and block it with our own.

“I have gone with the gang only four times and we succeeded. My first operation was at Palmgrove Expressway. The victim was a woman. We collected the valuables, but not the car. They gave me N20, 000 from that operation. We followed her from back, drove to the front and blocked her. Tony had a gun. We opened her car door and pointed a gun at her.

“This particular woman was driving a Toyota Camry and we collected phones and N60, 000 cash from her.

“Ezekiel was the driver of our operational car. Ezekiel stayed behind in the car. His job was to man the steering. Tony handled the gun. Once we stopped a victim, we would ask, ‘what do you have?’”

“I don’t often used to go for operation with the gang but I have witnessed the snatching of two cars; a Toyota Camry car and Toyota Highlander Jeep. We collected the jeep along Oshodi, Cele Bus Stop. The driver was a man. Ezekiel drove the man’s car away. We abandoned the man at Cele Bus Stop, right where his car was snatched.

“After operation, we would go back home to Ajegunle. Whenever there was need to meet and discuss an operation, we would meet at a joint, where young men used to gather and play lottery and under the guise of playing lottery, we would discuss our next line of action.”

Musa who was apprehended after they had stolen a Highlander jeep, said “We sold the jeep for N100, 000. My mum is late. But my dad is alive.”

When Musa was arrested and asked to mention the names of those that used to buy the stolen items from him or the gang, he mentioned Garba.

He also took police to Garba’s shop, saying “Yes, Garba used to buy the jewelry we stole from victims but he never knew they were stolen items. I have sold four of such items to him.”

On his part, Garba said “I never knew the necklaces which he sold to me were stolen ones. I would never have bought them from him. He told me they belonged to him.”

Garba vehemently denied being a member of the gang. He described himself as a trader, dealing in buying and selling of jewelry